


The Seduction of Air Recruit Starscream

by Spoon888



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Cunnilingus, Gladiators, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Megatron Is Young And Easily Distracted, Megatron Origins AU, Pre-Earth AU, Soundwave Is The Fun Police, Starscream Is Younger And An Easy Distraction, Sticky Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-01-21 23:15:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12468136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoon888/pseuds/Spoon888
Summary: Soundwave disapproves of Megatron's taste in seekers.An alternative take on the beginnings of a terrible romance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [新兵红蜘蛛攻略指南](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14545722) by [plotdog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/plotdog/pseuds/plotdog)



> I don't know what I'm doing either.

A champion gladiator has his fair share of admirers.

The early days had been filled with adoring looks, declarations of love, pretty spectators leant over arena barriers in hopes of a kiss from their favourite competitor. On occasion, a particularly overzealous fan would manage to infiltrate his quarters... and his berth.

Flattering. It had been. In those early days.

Megatron sighed heavily as he passed the gaggle of adolescents, barely out of younglinghood, blushing and squealing and vibrating in delight at the sight of him.

"-ask him 'Shade!"

"No you-"

"-quick before-"

None of them bore the accent of the downtrodden Kaonite. They hadn't come here for a revolution; they had come for the games, for him.

"I- Megatron!" A particularly brave one called to him.

Megatron would have kept his fast stride, shoulders hunched and helm down, but Soundwave had stopped. Damnable mech was always insisting he keep an enthusiastic rapport with the spectators, even if they were fair-weather rebels.

Repressing a grimace, Megatron turned to consider them. "Followers, I presume?"

One of them, a light blue mechling, sighed with the entirety of his frame at the sound of his voice, swaying as if struck by some invisible force. The other two, both conventionally attractive, leant in, servos clasped under their chins like they were begging for his attention. Megatron made to step back, but his pede bumped Soundwave's. His faceless lieutenant stared up at him as if to say it was his _duty_  now to suffer this.

This was some sort of elaborate payback for the all times Megatron had snuck hoards of uncleared groupies into their headquarters via the security exits all so he could satisfy his hedonistic desires with as many willing partners as mechanically possible.

That had been a long many years ago now. Soundwave was still bitter, though.

"We were just wondering," the indigo mech at the front tilted his helm and bit his lip and Megatron wanted to roll his optics into the back of his helm at the ridiculous display. "Where _did_ you learn to fight like that?"

"And!" The third one joined in quickly, shouldering his friend aside to draw Megatron's desired attention. "If maybe you could show us some of those _special moves_ of yours?"

Oh, if only Megatron was still as young and stupid as he had been once before.

"A tempting offer," he purred, charming as he could manage. "But I have a busy evening scheduled with my lieutenant here. I am afraid I must pass on your offer."

He span on his heel and caught Soundwave by the arm, nose scrunching at the chorus of disappointed sighs and grumblings of the mechlings as they walked away.

"Must you insist on forcing me into these situations?" He demanded of his allegedly loyal follower. "You know full well I don't have time to be stealing the seals of the high-caste's younglings."

"Humility; suits you." Soundwave answered, shrugging off his grasp. "Query; recruitment-?"

"Ah yes," Megatron nodded, adoring fans all but forgotten as they reached his main Operations room. He entered the code and let Soundwave step in before him. "We have a pressing need for fliers. Fast ones. Seekers, preferably..."

 

* * *

 

Soundwave filled his request for fliers quickly, showing up just a cycle later with three of the flashiest, over-polished seekers Megatron had ever set optics on. He had been injured at the time, and had little patience to deal with them more than passing them brief orders and praying by Primus they would be able to follow them.

To his immense surprise, they did.

They looked more like upgrade models than warriors, with heels better suited for catwalks than battlefields and pouts to match, but Soundwave had assured him they were fast. Megatron supposed he could always bulk them up for combat at a later date, should the need arise.

They proved their worth quickly; clever, deadly, competent, so much so that of all the mechs Megatron had fighting for his cause he learnt their designations the quickest.

...If only to know what name to shout when they drew his ire.

"Where is that Primus damned seeker?!" He bellowed, twisting on the spot until he noticed Soundwave. "The white one." He elaborated for his lieutenant's sake, "The one with the _attitude_."

"Starscream." Soundwave was able to answer. "Above ground. Observing fights."

Megatron spat a curse. His seekers were special operatives. Neither seen nor heard -difficult indeed with their paint and their mouths- and he had made it increasingly clear that they were not for the pits. No matter how often the sneaky brats attempted to slip past him.

He stomped his way out of Operations, grunting noncommittally at any passerby oblivious enough to attempt conversation.

It was early in the evening. The pit was beginning to fill with mechs eager for blood, change, and freedom, trickling in as the first fights began, the warm-up challengers with no names hoping to make a reputation. The arena wouldn't fill until late, when Megatron himself appeared for the finale.

Watching the amateurs currently grappling in the ring were -as Soundwave had promised- his three and only seekers. They did make a pretty picture, clustered together, all shining armour and sharp wings, leaning against the barriers with their backs curved to exaggerate an already appealing frame type.

"Starscream!" He barked from the entrance of the stands.

Free handsome helms turned. Between his trine-mates, Starscream scowled, lips pursing like Megatron was the one aggravating _him_. The audacity of the little hellion.

The two darker seekers murmured something between themselves before coming down from the stands, leaving their third member to whatever verbal reproach he had earned himself today.

"This is becoming a habit, seeker," Megatron growled, pointing up at him. "You're of use to me outside the Pit, not in it."

Starscream's higher ground gave him the perfect opportunity to stare down his perfectly straight nose at him. Everything about the seeker implied that he had been raised well. His poise, accent, and attitude couldn't have come from anyone who wasn't the highest of the high caste. Megatron recalled Soundwave mentioning that he had picked the group of fliers up outside of Vos. Far from home.

What would drive a mech like Starscream, young and wealthy and high in status, to join a cause like his?

He must have done something very naughty indeed.

"I am not 'in the Pit' now, am I?" the seeker actually had the nerve to argue with him, "Or are you forbidding spectating now?"

Megatron pointed to the ground at his pedes, hissing through clenched denta for him to, "Get down here. Now."

The seeker's dark helm rolled back under the force of his own optic-roll, but he did as ordered, pushing himself upright from the barrier and strutting down the steps of the stands, blue thrusters ridiculously flashy.

Megatron had to force himself to stop staring at them. "Inside." He hissed when the seeker was close enough to hear.

"Do you have an actual a reason for hounding me like this, or has your obsession with controlling everyone around you finally eclipsed your sense of reason?"

"It is fortunate I that do have a mission for you," Megatron rumbled, looming over the seeker as they walked, "You speak to me with such disrespect again and I'll have your wings removed until such a time you recall your manners."

Starscream gave him the same condescending look adolescents of every sentient species in the universe had perfected simply to sass authority figures. "The mission?" He prompted. 

He held out a delicate blue servo, armour smooth, unscarred, and finely polished. Servos that had never once touched a pickaxe. The servos of a pampered princess. Megatron unsubspaced the mission brief and dropped it into his palm.

"Get it done. Don't be seen. Return for the debrief." He pointed a black digit at the disobedient flier's nose. "No detours."

The mission brief was whipped away. Starscream's sharp optics gave him a once over, tracking down his frame and back up again, before he sniffed self-importantly and strutted away.

Megatron sighed heavily. He needed to send Soundwave out for better fliers.

 

* * *

 

There may have been better behaved seekers, but there were no better fliers.

Starscream was as clever as he was disrespectful, and was only allowed to remain that way by virtue of his stunningly broad skill set, including but not limited to tactical warfare, weapons development, topography, advanced engineering, and interrogation.

So Soundwave stood by his decision in recruiting Starscream and his trine. He stood by it right up until he caught Megatron staring at the jet like he had never seen a seeker's wings before. Like he had been hypnotised by the sway of them as Starscream walked.

He had to clap his servos together to regain the gladiator's attention.

Megatron flinched, optics flicking back into focus. He turned to Soundwave with an irritable expression on his face, "Yes, I heard you the first time." he grunted, despite his lieutenant having not said anything at all.

Soundwave's optics narrowed behind his visor, "Starscream; distraction."

His leader was nodding, no longer watching Starscream but thoughts still clearly lingering. "That is what I was thinking. He and his trine could prove useful in an air assault, drawing fire whilst we-"

"Starscream; distracting _you,_ " Soundwave snapped this time, waving his servo in Megatron's face. "Megatron; susceptible to conventionally attractive frame types."

Megatron sneered, "I don't find him attractive. And if he's distracting me it's because he's an unruly reprobate. He needs to be brought into line..."

Soundwave watched the gladiator's expression darken, his optics narrow, his servos clasp together behind his back- and felt his chest fill with dread. Megatron's obsessions always began with dislike, resentment- it seemed to fuel latent desires.

"Starscream is too young for you." He tried again, "Starscream is _untrustworthy_."

His voice dropped into an even lower tone at the last word, hoping it would really sink into his leader's processor. The last thing he needed, at this crucial moment in their insurrection, was for their figurehead to fail in his duties because he was too busy chasing seeker tail-wings.

Dark optics burned down at him. Megatron was annoyed at the berating -as he always was- but seemed to be seriously contemplating Soundwave's words.

"...I'll leave him to you then." The gladiator managed, sounding no small amount resentful.

Soundwave dipped his helm in understanding, thanking his maker that he wasn't still dealing with the rookie fresh from the mines that wanted little more than bask in the revelry of new-found freedom with every willing partner he could get his servos on. Megatron was a prominent public figure now- a wanted criminal though he might be- he had a reputation to uphold.

"Affirmative." He agreed. "Seekers will be kept in line."

"And kept out of the pits." Megatron added, levelling a finger at him, "Last thing I need is their wings getting ripped off by some overzealous brawler."

Soundwave nodded again. How hard could micromanaging three seekers possibly be?

 

* * *

 

 

Hard. The answer was hard.

One of them was a teleporter. This was something that Starscream had failed to mention during the meeting before their recruitment. It was a welcome surprise, yes. Skywarp was going to be invaluable in combat and stealth missions. Megatron would be pleased. However,  asides from the obvious military advantage such a unique ability afforded their faction, Skywarp was a logistical nightmare.

Soundwave set his cassettes to the task of keeping track of the unruly seekers -Starscream in particular. His intel told him they would disappear for hours on end during their off-shifts, and no amount of reconnaissance skill seemed to be capable of locating them. Skywarp could take a trine-mate's wrist in each servo and vanish in a flash of purple light, no trace left, no trail to follow.

Gone.

Soundwave delayed telling Megatron about Skywarp's warping for so long simply because he didn't need to A) remind his leader of the seekers' existence, or B) give him an excuse to obsess over them anymore than he already secretly was.

" _Report_ ," Megatron voice crackled over the comm one evening, right in the middle of the seekers' latest disappearing act.

Soundwave, who had been staring at the camera feed of the seekers' very empty quarters for nearly two hours now, hesitated.

" _Soundwave_?" Megatron pressed.

"Fliers..." Soundwave grimaced behind his mask. "Fliers; misplaced."

There was a pause before Megatron's rasping voice was demanding, " _What? What have you misplaced?!"_

"Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream have been off-base for one hour forty three minutes." He admitted, still staring at the empty feed. "Attempts at locating missing seeker trine; unsuccessful."

His comm crackled at him as Megatron failed to respond. Suddenly, it clicked off.

Megatron had hung up on him. Soundwave clasped his servos in front of him and wondered how he could have been so stupid as to recruit someone that looked and spoke like Starscream.

He had been asked to find Megatron fliers, not pick out his perfect one night stand.

 

* * *

 

"Okay," Skywarp came bounding back over to them after the arrangements had been made, grin blinding in its enthusiasm. "I say we got about ten minutes before Big M catches wind of us being up here."

"Fine." Starscream snorted, "This match won't last five."

"This is stupid," Thundercracker was, as usual, fretting over nothing. "This isn't going to prove anything to Megatron except that you can't follow orders."

"Please." Starscream turned his nose up at his trine-mate, angling his helm to better hear the cheering crowd out in the stands. "As if I care what that low-caste mud shoveler thinks. I came to Kaon to fight under the Decepticon banner. That's what I'm going to do."

"But Megatron-"

Thundercracker was cut off by a huge roar from the crowd outside. The current match had ended. Starscream was up.

He rolled his shoulders back, flexed his servos and tested the weight of the duel swords on his back. He smirked, stepping up to the gate just as it began to rise and reveal the energon stained pit.

"Time to show these grounders how it's done."

"Don't die." Skywarp told him cheerfully, giving him a thumbs up.

He stalked past his trine -one encouraging, the other already hiding behind his servos- and into the open arena. Flood lights almost blinded him, made the spectators in the stands difficult to see beyond a huge swelling mass of yelling and jeering shadows. He heard an appreciative whistle and rolled his optics in irritation.

On the other side of the arena the opposite gate lifted. A tall mech shouldered his way through the gap, so broad he had to turn himself to fit. He was twice Starscream's height, and probably triple his weight. It mattered little. Starscream had killed bigger.

His opponent sported a large blunt-looking axe, more suited to hacking limbs off than anything else. It was heavy though, so it's welder would move slow. Starscream tucked his wings close to his back and tracked his optics over the other mech's frame, looking for further weaknesses.

But before the bell to start the match could ring, the flood lights flashed, a horn sounded. The crowd sounded like they were losing their processors in excitement. Starscream looked around in confusion, concerned. And spotted two of the fight marshals coming out into the ring, carrying between them what looked like collars, connected by a thick length of metal chain.

Starscream's fuel pump sped up. He hadn't anticipated this.

He took a hesitant step back when the marshal approached him, but was too prideful to resist when the collar came up and latched around his throat cables. It was thick enough to cut into his jaw and made worse when the marshal moved around to pull it tight, then lock it into place with an electronic key.

It was made heavier by the chain connecting him to the other collar, which was currently being slapped around the neck of his opponent. The bigger mech was smirking at him now. He knew the scales had been tipped in his favour.

Starscream swallowed -difficult to do with the collar- and widened his stance, waiting. He wasn't going to have the chance to use speed or flight to his advantage now. He would have to end this quickly, stab the larger mech through the spark as soon as the bell rang.

The marshals retreated from the pit and he was left, face to face, with his opponent, waiting tensely for the match to start. The chain swung between them, brushing the floor at it's lowest point.

The bell rang.

Starscream's thruster was only just off the floor when a harsh tug made him stumble forwards, the chain pulling taunt. Those seconds cost him. His opponent caught the chain and yanked again, choking him and throwing him to the arena floor. Starscream grabbed for the chain, desperately trying to alleviate the pressure cutting off his intakes as he was dragged across the ground.

He scrambled to get his pedes under him, but he was too small, too light, too easy for the bigger mech to throw around like it was nothing.

Denta gritted, Starscream twisted onto his back, swinging himself around so that his thrusters were pointing towards the other fighter. He ignited them with what would have been enough thrust to break the sound barrier. Here, it just jutted him across the ground, scrapping the paint all across his back and wings. Small price to pay to serve his opponent a face full of fire.

The bigger mech yelled, arms coming up of shield himself from the blast. Starscream unsheathed one of his dual swords. He brought it up to the collar, tried to break through the chain-

It pulled taunt again, yanking him upright and nearly taking his helm of his shoulders. He dropped his sword and was swung away from it before he could recover it.

"You little-" the other mech's voice was rough and dry, his face black with soot and scorched metal.

Starscream went to unsheathe the sword he still had left, when the axe came swinging for his helm. He dropped to the floor, but the chain prevented him from rolling away. He had to pull gymnastic level contortions to avoid getting stamped on as he struggled back to his pedes.

"Hold still!"

The chain yanked again, and Starscream was really getting sick of being choked out like this. His optics watered with the strain of not being able to breathe, but it was either endure it and pull back, or let himself get yanked within reach of his opponent's axe.

The other mech didn't seem keen on chasing him around the arena though. He gripped the chain and began to reel him in, Starscream's struggles hardly an inconvenience to the bigger mech's greater strength, even with his thrusters adding to his own pull.

Starscream tried moving from side to side, keeping out of reach even as the chain between them grew shorter and shorter. He kicked out, thruster ready with a burst of flame. But his opponent caught it, twisted- _twisted_ his ankle until something snapped and shooting pain engulfed Starscream's entire leg.

He snarled, swiping for the servo that held him captive with his claws instead, but the other axe-welding servo came back around and slammed into his side. It felt more like being punched than it did stabbed. Starscream felt it knock all the air from his intakes. He wheezed, the only thing still keeping him upright was the weapon in his side.

It felt hot, and he knew he was losing energon, could see his power levels rapidly ticking down.

His sensor net was just numbing itself when a horrible wrenching pain in his side lit it back up again as his opponent yanked his axe free. It swung back up again with a spray of energon. The last thing Starscream saw was the dripping weapon catching against the flood lights before his optics began to offline.

Somewhere in the distance a horn blared. The crowd booed. Someone yelled his name...  
  


 


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Thundercracker?" Skywarp's voice was asking, "What's it feel like being right all the time?"

A heavy sigh answered, and that's when Starscream's rebooting processor finally flickered his optics back online. He was staring up at a bright ceiling, all around him was the humming of machines. The room smelt like stale energon and chemicals, and his frame felt like a dead weight.

He breathed deeply, and then coughed when his intakes faltered, sticky with residue from whatever interior trauma had befallen his frame. He shot upright, gagging, and then gasping when the sharp movement pulled at fresh welds.

"Whu-what?!"

"That's what happens when someone tries to slice you in half with a rusty axe," Skywarp supplied, sounding irritatingly chipper. "Thought me and TC would have to carry a piece of you each."

Oh Primus. Starscream searched his most recent memory files. They were of being in the pit, of fighting... _losing_ -

Humiliation gripped at his chest. His fists clenched together. "What-" he cleared his vocaliser, voice scratchy, "What happened? How am I still functioning?"

"Megatron stopped the fight." Thundercracker answered, looking very solemn.

"It was so _embarrassing_ ," Skywarp interjected gleefully, leaning forwards in his seat and bouncing. "You were getting thrown around like an empty protoform. I thought TC was gonna cry-"

A solid punch across the medical slab courteously of Thundercracker soon shut Skywarp up. "Shut up, Skywarp." The blue seeker growled, "I wasn't..."

"Alright, enough!" Starscream waved his arms in front of his trine to regain their attention. "Now that we've established neither of you would have mourned my deactivation, you can tell me what the frag happened!"

His trine looked down at him.

"We told you," Thundercracker folded his arms. "Megatron stopped the-"

"You can't just stop a fight to the death." Starscream snarled, rubbing the great ugly weld in his side angrily. Clearly no one here knew how to re-solder armour with any level of skill. "He would have had to-"

Skywarp's servos landed on the side of the medical slab as the purple seeker leant right into his personal space, nose nearly brushing his own. "He _literally_ ripped the fragger off you." On his other side, Thundercracker was nodding sagely. "He came charging out and just-" Skywarp made a slashing motion as if welding an invisible sword, complete with his own sound effect. "Cut his helm clean off, didn't he TC?"

Thundercracker sighed again.

"Oh Primus..." Starscream muttered, mostly because he didn't want to think about it. Whatever reasons Megatron may have had for meddling in a fight that wasn't his to win, Starscream's reputation was in tatters. He swung his legs off the berth, yanking a diagnostic cable out of his wrist as he did. "Get out of my way. I need to find a decent body-shop."

"Ha!" Skywarp laughed. "Good luck finding any of those around here. You think miners care what shade of maroon they're wearing?"

"Isn't it more important to make sure you're not leaking energon internally?" Thundercracker raised a brow. "They did just have to give you a new fuel tank."

"He just wants to look good for his new boyfriend." Skywarp sneered.

Starscream nearly fell off the medical berth, "My _what_?!"

"Oh, come on Screamer," his purple trine-mate flapped a servo, "Don't act so surprised. Megatron _rescuing_ you, the medic giving you spare parts that _hadn't_ just been ripped out of a corpse-"

"Are you insane?!" Starscream squawked, staring between them. Skywarp was nodding arrogantly, like he had this all figured out, that was fine- he was an idiot. But Thundercracker wasn't saying anything contrary. "You don't honestly think...?"

"...You do read his poetry." Thundercracker finally said.

"It's not romantic, you dolts! His writings are about tearing down the hierarchy. He talks about destroying his enemies and using their empty frames to build his throne!"

"That!" Skywarp pointed at him. "Sounds _exactly_ like the sort of thing that would rev your engines, Star. Don't deny it."

"I came here to fight for this cause!" He burst out, wings arching high on his back and servos clawed. "Not to flaunt myself in front of a dirty pitmech!"

"Well, after last night, you're only succeeding in one of those areas."

Skywarp had to teleport to avoid the medical scanner that came flying at his helm. Thundercracker -who wasn't as fortunate as to own a warp drive- had to flee out the door to avoid the projectile thrown his way.

Starscream flexed his digits angrily. Primus, he needed a drink.

 

* * *

 

"Find a way to keep track of them." Megatron said.

Soundwave didn't have the capacity to use facial expression to convey how impossible a request that was.

"Skywarp; teleporter." He repeated for the gladiator, in case such a fact had slipped his processor amongst all his obsessing over a certain red seeker.

"I know that!" Megatron lifted his helm to snap, then dropped it back into his fist to continue contemplating. "We need more optics. More mechs in the streets."

"Query; to spy on seekers?" Soundwave hoped to Primus it wasn't.

"You yourself said Starscream was untrustworthy," Megatron settled back in his seat and smirked like he had managed to outwit him. "If I'm going to catch him in the act..."

 _Act of what_?! Soundwave couldn't take it. He loomed over the seated gladiator, much like he would his cassettes when they were behaving particularly unruly, and folded his arms.

"That is not a priority." He droned dangerously, daring Megatron to disagree with him. "Suggestion- _Strong suggestion_ ; do not interact with Starscream."

"Just increase the amount of informants we around the city," Megatron waved his servo to try and shoo his lieutenant away. "For security." He added when Soundwave continued staring down at him. "This has nothing to do with Starscream."

 

* * *

 

Starscream couldn't escape the feeling that he was being watched.

His optics glanced from side to side as he lifted his cube to his mouth, taking an elegant sip of the smooth, refined fuel -far from the sort of sewage he would find in Kaon trying to pass itself off as energon. He went to drink again, when an elbow nudged him and he nearly spilt it down himself.

"Skywarp!" He hissed, slamming the cube against the countertop.

"I was talking to you!" Skywarp cried, nudging him again. "You think way too much."

"You don't think at all."

Skywarp laughed sarcastically, "Next time I warp outta slag-hole-Kaon I'm leaving your aft behind."

Starscream muttered his next insult into his cube. It was a valid threat. The Decepticon base of operations was overbearing and claustrophobic, and Megatron was paranoid enough to suspect even his longest serving warriors as Autobot spies. Though leaving wasn't forbidden, wandering too far from the city provinces under his sway would draw his ire.

But Starscream couldn't get hold of a decent drink for at least two city-states over.

"Whatcha thinking 'bout?" Skywarp's voice invaded his thoughts once again.

"Nothing within your comprehension." He tapped his digits against the bar top and glanced around the dim room for Thundercracker, wondering why he had been left to entertain their dim trine-mate. "Just an uneasy feeling..."

He was about to ask Skywarp if he could warp outside the bar, check with the door mechs to see if anyone of suspect had entered after them, followed them here -when the purple seeker laughed again, a little less sober this time, and swung an unwanted arm over his shoulders.

Starscream swayed under his trine-mate's heavy weight, spluttering, "What are you-?!"

"You _do_ like him, don't you?!"

Oh no, not this again.

"Skywarp." He snarled, reaching to prise the purple mech's digits off his shoulder.

"You _like_ Megatron."

" _Skywarp_."

"You wanna take a ride on his mega-"

" _Skywarp_!" He shoved his servo against his trine-mate's face before anyone overheard. "Where the- where is Thundercracker?!"

Skywarp was laughing against his palm, optics crinkled in mirth, like this was the funniest thing in the world to him. Starscream himself hadn't had nearly enough to drink to be entertaining this ridiculousness. He craned his neck to see over the bar patron's helms, looking for the distinct blue arch of Thundercracker's wings.

"Hmmph!" Skywarp said against his palm.

"What?!" Starscream demanded, drawing his servo away.

"Not what Rumble says," Skywarp said, reaching for his high-grade, struggling to hold it steady as he took tentative sips.

Rumble; one of Soundwave's irritating minions, always getting under pede, always lurking...

"What does that little creep have to do with anything? Has he been spying on me?"

Skywarp shrugged, and leaned to peer behind him, "Ask him yourself. Hey, Rumble?!"

Starscream's spark dropped into his fuel tank, optics flashing bright. He twisted so suddenly his wing swept the nearby cubes off the bar top. And there, behind him, was the tiny cassette.

"'Sup." Rumble nodded.

"Spy!" Starscream snarled, servos clawing, "What are you doing here? How did you find us?!"

"Warp." Rumble gestured to the grinning seeker behind Starscream.

Starscream whipped around the other way to face his idiot trine-mate, "You brought him?!"

"Chill out, Screamer." Skywarp shrugged. "He's cool."

"He was sent to spy on us!" Starscream spun around to face the cassette again, "Weren't you, you pathetic drone? No doubt you've contacted your precious masters already. So what? Do we wait here for their thugs to come and collect us?"

Rumble laughed and wandered past him, jumping onto the first rung of Skywarp's bar stool, "Nah," he waved a servo, then climbed higher to reach the bar top. "Boss was worried you were off fraternising with 'Bots. Don't think they'll care about..." He paused to sniff at the high-grade. "Ya fancy high-grade. Can I have some?"

"No!" Starscream snarled.

"Sure!" Said Skywarp over him, already sliding his cube across to the cassette. "Might be a little strong for your tiny tanks though."

"I said no!" Starscream knocked the energon off the bar before Rumble could take it. Skywarp stood abruptly, stance offensive. "Hey!"

"We're leaving." Starscream told him firmly. "Locate that glitch Thundercracker and don't let _that_ out of your sight." He pointed at the scowling cassette. "I don't need his creator on my back because you left him behind."

"Alright alright," Skywarp scooped the cassette up and tucked him under his arm. Rumble squirmed in half-hearted protest, but didn't look all too displeased to be up close and personal to the attractive seeker. "I think I saw him sneaking into the back with a couple of femme combiners..."

Starscream rolled his optics. Typical. Thundercracker was stoic and handsome, he got all the fun.

"Well, prise him out from between their chassis's, would you." He snapped, observing the room in general for any more spies. "We need to be back in Kaon before Megatron's out-of-city contacts turn up to drag us back. He knows we're here. Your friend will have seen to that."

Skywarp looked down at Rumble, betrayed.

The cassette shrugged, "S'my job."

Starscream took a moment to throw back the rest of his refined energon, and knowing he wasn't going to be out from under Megatron's thumb long enough to procure anymore for some time, he made sure to savour it.

 

* * *

 

"Thundercracker. Skywarp. You may leave us."

Megatron had met them in the corridor outside their shared quarters. He had offered Starscream's trine little more than a cursory glance before ordering them away. Starscream stayed in place, tall and unrelenting as Thundercracker brushed past and murmured a quiet, "Good luck." Skywarp waited until he was out of the gladiator's line of sight before offering a knowing wink.

Starscream's armour warmed in indignation.

"I take it you wish to speak to me?" He hissed aggressively, not appreciating Megatron's style of ambush, even if he had known it was coming. He supposed there was a lot the gladiator would be keen to shout at him for. Leaving the city, the disappearing acts, almost getting himself killed...

"Walk with me, Starscream." The larger mech told him, already turning to lead the way.

He certainly seemed calm. 

Still, Starscream hesitated, both at the expected obedience and the thought of scampering after the gladiator like a loyal pet. But there was enough tension between them and he wasn't sure if the outcome would be in his favour should it snap.

He strode after the larger mech.

"Your appearance in the arena last night was well broadcasted," Megatron said as he drew level, optics staring straight ahead. "You realise you're not as anonymous as you once were."

Starscream snorted, temper sparking at the reminder of such a public humiliation, "Of course."

"Then I wonder at what little sense of self-preservation you must have that you would leave the safety of this province," Megatron's dark optics turned to him, "for a drink."

"Have you consumed the fuel around here?" Starscream asked him incredulously, "You'd find more palatable energon in a gutter outside a brothel. You're not a Kaonite. Surely you know the difference."

Megatron huffed, looking away again, the corner of his mouth rising in...amusement? He had a noble face for miner. It was almost handsome -in a 'been punched in the nose one too many times' way anyway.

"You and I have vastly differing priorities." The gladiator murmured.

"Because I won't drink puddle water?"

"You are exaggerating." Megatron turned into one of the exit corridors. Starscream wondered where they would be going if they were leaving the base. "You're clearly not visiting the right establishments."

"In Kaon, there's no such thing as 'right'" Starscream slowed his pace, hanging back as the exit into the streets appeared. "Where are you taking me?"

"For a drink." Megatron tilted his helm. "Since your evening was so tragically cut short.."

"Oh," Starscream pulled a face, not caring if it made him look immature in front of the gladiator. "So this is my punishment for insubordination? You're going to force me into some Primus-forsaken hole and watch me choke down unrefined filth?"

"It's not five-stars, but it won't kill you." The gladiator answered, and of course he would think that. Miner's had tanks like industrial smelters, they could swallow just about anything and live to tell the tale. Seekers were more finely-tuned than the walking garbage cans the lower-caste were.

A large black servo extended towards him, fingers beckoning. Starscream straightened his wings, braced himself, and followed.

 

* * *

 

Since their reluctant relocation to Kaon, Thundercracker and Skywarp hadn't had the opportunity to spend much time out of their trine-leader's company. Hidden beneath one of the city-states largest arenas, the Decepticon base of Operations was still relatively small for the amount of recruits it had flocking to it's banner. As such, they had to share quarters.

So it was nice to enjoy a rare evening of privacy without Starscream spoiling the mood.

Thundercracker -still pent up from his interrupted dalliance with a combiner unit of identical femmes- felt like he and Skywarp had only just begun fooling around when the door pinged with an override code- and in stepped Megatron's ever-present, ever-loyal lieutenant, Soundwave.

With a heavy sigh, they rolled apart, barely past the stage of making out anyway.

"Query: Where is Starscream." Soundwave demanded.

Thundercracker wiped his mouth with the back of his servo, wet from Skywarp's sloppy, drunken kisses, "With Megatron. Your boss ordered us away."

Soundwave's visor brightened with concern. "Elapsed time?"

"Dunno," Skywarp shrugged, "Like ten minutes ago. Why? Something happen to them?"

Thundercracker tried to ignore how hopeful Skywarp sounded.

"Negative." Soundwave droned loudly. "But the matter is urgent. Request; contact Starscream. Learn location."

"No way." Skywarp folded his arms, looking contrary. He was already in Starscream's bad files after accidentally revealing their out of city bar of choice. He wasn't stupid enough to land himself in another pile of slag. "You wanna crash their date night, do it yourself."

Soundwave emitted a blare of panic.

"Date night?" Thundercracker queried, feeling rather amused. Starscream had expressed nothing but contempt for Megatron, since just hours after meeting him in person. And Megatron didn't seem particularly taken with their trine-leader either.

"Fraternisation; forbidden." Soundwave gestured seriously. "Order; Relinquish Starscream's communication frequency. Immediately."

"Hey, cut it out!" Skywarp jumped up and hugged himself protectively, like that was going to stop Soundwave from getting the information he wanted. "What's wrong with you? Megatron ain't one of your kids-"

"Megatron; prone to weakness." Soundwave's monotone had picked up a note of hysteria. "Starscream; potential weakness- current distraction. Megatron must not be distracted."

Thundercracker burst out laughing from the berth. Soundwave's visored helm turned towards him, darkening. Clearly he wasn't as amused.

"Sorry," Thundercracker breathed, wiping moisture from his optics. "Just- I don't think you need to worry. Starscream really isn't interested-"

"Megatron; relentless." Soundwave pointed at them again. "Demand; Starscream's communication frequency. Now."

 

* * *

 

Soundwave had attempted to hail him six times before Megatron had even reached the bar with Starscream. Eager for his lieutenant not to spoil what was a perfectly professional outing between a leader and his subordinate, Megatron simply deactivated the comm-link. Soundwave would either give up, or hunt them down.

And hunting them down would take time.

"I'm not going in there." The snobbish seeker took three wary steps away from the bar, shaking his helm in apparent horror. "That's not a energon-bar. That's a crime scene."

" _Kaon_ is a crime scene." Megatron huffed, nudging the small of the seeker's back to get him moving. Starscream stumbled, and stepped forwards into a suspicious looking puddle. The seeker lifted his thruster with a expression of uttermost disgust.

Megatron nudged him again before he could start squawking.

"Quickly now. You won't want to draw much attention to yourself around these parts."

Starscream did follow him then, pede kicking out as he tried to flick the dark oily substance from his thruster, all the while looking around for whatever threat he imagined would be lurking in Kaon's dark back allies.

Megatron strode up to the door, giving the rusty metal a good kick to help the aged gears move and slide the door away. Behind him Starscream had a servo covering the lower half of his face, shielding himself from some offensive odour he imagined he could smell. Inside the bar was much the same as it was every night. Old half-rusted miners huddled over their cubes, a group of heavy-labourers clustered around their game table, jeering, and a few mechs hidden in the shadowy booth at the back, negotiating shady deals.

"The floor is sticky." Was all Starscream had to comment on.

"So are the seats," Megatron agreed, tilting his helm back and taking a deep intake of the nostalgic musky bar smell. "I don't come here often enough."

"You shouldn't be coming here at all," Starscream's voice sounded a little nasally. Megatron turned to see he had his nose pinched between his digits now. "This _is_ a punishment."

"This is a reward. And your gratitude so far as been humbling," Megatron growled. He pointed at one of the empty tables beside the grimy window. "You sit down and don't insult anyone. I'll get you that energon I promised you."

Starscream removed his digits from his nose to flap his servo at him. "No, I think I'll get the energon. I can't trust you to ensure it won't be poisoned, or scooped out of a drain. I can't wait to have my tanked pumped by the medics tomorrow..."

That last part was muttered as the seeker walked away, heading for the bar. Megatron slid into the table he had selected and watched as Starscream passed by the group of labourers. Their helms popped up, one by one, like a family microkats. Megatron watched, and one of them broke away from the group and followed.

Megatron pitied the fool already.

"Hey?" A gruff voice murmured.

Megatron tilted his helm back to find himself being addressed by a pair of youthful looking workers, their frames not yet battered by the hardships of the lifestyle they'd been sparked into. He huffed to show he was listening.

"You with him?"

A black digit pointed past his shoulder at Starscream, who was now stood at the bar, wings obnoxiously straight and high against his back, one servo propped on his cocked hip impatiently.

"Yes." He grunted.

"Is he a seeker?" The other one asked, sounding amazed.

"No," Megatron snorted sarcastically, frowning. "What does he look like?"

"Ain't never seen no seeker round here." The worker whistled low, appreciatively, "Sure as heck not one that looks like that."

Megatron turned back around to observe the seeker in question. Just in time to see the misguided labourer saunter up to Starscream's side, cocky grin stretched across his lips. Some words were exchanged and a big servo reached for a wing. Starscream snatched it out of midair before it could make contact, slammed it against the bar-top, and pinned it there with a dagger he withdrew out of his subspace.

The labourer jumped, then realised what had happened and screamed.

Megatron watched Starscream roll his optics and snatch up the cubes the bar-mech nervously nudged his way. When he passed the group of labourers this time, they kept their helms down. Megatron glanced back at the two workers that had just been admiring Starscream's frame to see they had assumed the same nervous, hunched down positions.

He couldn't help but smile when the seeker dropped the cubes in front of him with a sneer.

"You drink yours first." Starscream stared down his nose at him. "I want to see whether or not this stuff burns through your intakes before risking myself."

Megatron took his cube and drank without protest. He gestured to the seat across from him. "Sit down."

Starscream's bright, jewell-like optics gave the seat a once over. "I'd rather not."

"I see you were making friends over there." Megatron changed the subject, swirling his cube to remix the cloudy substance. "You appear to have forgotten something at the bar though."

The unfortunate labourer still had his servo pinned to the bar-top behind Starscream. Two of his friends had come forward to help, but were struggling to remove the dagger Starscream had impressively imbedded through both armour and the metal of the bar beneath.

"I don't want it back." Starscream sniffed, and leant forward to peer at his own cube, nose wrinkling. "There's a layer of scum on the top."

"The best part." Megatron countered, and nudged the cube with one of his digits. "I don't know what sort of high-caste lifestyle you enjoyed before, but you're a Decepticon now. You're going to have to get used to the taste."

"Just because I've aligned myself with servants and ex-slaves, doesn't mean I have to become one." The ungrateful brat folded his arms and still didn't take the cube, "Or engross myself in this city's sad excuse for culture."

"You'd rather be in Vos?" Megatron guessed, curious.

"I didn't say that." Starscream snapped, optics narrowed.

Before Megatron could pry -and gain trust enough to ply the seeker into drinking the energon and eventually over-charge him enough to hear all his secrets- the seeker's communicator pinged.

Starscream glanced at his wrist, then sneered. "Why is your lieutenant hailing me?"

Megatron sighed, propping his chin onto one of his fists as he watched the seeker open the communication link to Soundwave. So much for his master plan.

"He says he requires your immediate attention back at headquarters, and that you need to stop turning off your communicator." Starscream spat venomously when he was finished. "I don't appreciate being used as your messenger."

"You don't appreciate much, do you?" Megatron said, lifting himself out of his chair. He reached out and took Starscream's untouched energon, throwing it back in three sure gulps. Starscream watched, pouting, as he threw the empty cube back down.

"Next time, I choose the bar." The seeker said, turning on his thruster and strutting out through the door.

Megatron followed smirking, glad to hear there would be a 'next time'.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Soundwave couldn't keep Megatron from the seekers. He had no real power over the gladiator save for what their friendship allowed and Megatron would, ultimately, do as he pleased. That did not mean Soundwave couldn't keep the seekers away from him though.

"Lubricant?!" Skywarp read off their mission brief, perplexed. "We have to miss the fights because you want us to pick up a shipment of medical grade lubricant?"

Beside Skywarp his trine-mate's were wearing expressions of equal contention.

"Affirmative." Soundwave answered. "Autobot enforcers have recollected to nearby provinces. Conclusion; too dangerous to send non-combatants."

"Okay," Thundercracker nodded, still frowning, "But is it really so important that we go right now? Because we-"

"Affirmative." Soundwave said loudly, cutting him off.

"Why do we need this much medical lubricant anyway?" Starscream decided to argue with him despite the finality of his tone. "What are you doing with it?!"

"Classified."

The three seekers threw him identical looks of disdainful disbelief, but none of them called him out on the ridiculous lie.

"C'mon," Thundercracker relented first, nudging his broad shoulders against his trine's to get them moving. "If we're quick we'll be back in time to watch Megatron."

Soundwave's optic twitched. "Negative." He blared at them before they could leave. They turned and looked at him. "...Report to operations upon return to await further orders." He managed eventually.

Starscream threw his helm back with an adolescent sounding sigh before grabbing Skywarp's wrist and yanking him through the door behind him. Soundwave waited until he heard the _throom_ of their thrusters before letting himself relax again.

Now all he needed to do was continue concocting missions to keep the seekers occupied and out of Megatron's clutches. This was something that would prove difficult to pull off, he realised, when he went down into the arena armoury to find Megatron searching through the gathering of Decepticons, deep frown set on his face.

"Soundwave," the gladiator greeted him distractedly, craning his neck to see the other side of the armoury.

"Megatron. As requested; designations of potential recruits." He handed the gladiator the datafile of lost sparks that had come to the arena uttering pledges and promises, eager to join their budding forces. Megatron gave the list a once over, then huffed. "No more fliers, then."

Soundwave repressed a sigh.

"Speaking of fliers..." Megatron began, and Soundwave repressed another sigh. "...You haven't seen...?"

"Seekers; on a mission of vital importance."

The gladiator looked disappointed, but Soundwave refused to be swayed. This was in Megatron's best interests, he told himself firmly. It was in the _Decepticon's_ best interests. And frankly, he didn't care if it was in Starscream's best interests because he was an awfully pretentious little snob and regardless of his intentions Soundwave didn't want him influencing Megatron or their ambitions in the slightest.

"I will review these after the finale." Megatron subspaced the datafile. "I have a favour to ask of you, old friend." 

"Affirmative." Soundwave nodded loyally, visor dimming.

"There is a mech designated Swindle. I believe he's here tonight. Word tells me he has procured aged Iaconian energon treats. See if you can secure some for me."

Soundwave stared up at his leader, suspicious. Megatron didn't have a sweet-tooth, and had in the past, written off decadent treats as a frivolous unnecessary waste of otherwise useful fuel. "...Query."

"What?" Megatron growled, looking like he already _knew_ what. "I can't indulge myself?"

"Indulged." Soundwave intoned judgementally. "In what?"

At this point, neither of them where actually talking about energon-treats.

Beyond the walls of the armoury a bell rang, and the dull roar of a cheering crowd followed it. Soundwave found he and Megatron were stood closer than he had realised, locked in their battle of wills. He centred himself, and took a step back. Megatron straightened, schooling his expression.

"We will speak later," Megatron said gruffly, scooping up a nearby energon hammer, weighing it in his servo. Satisfied, he moved towards the entrance to the arena floor. "Comm me when the seekers return."

Soundwave watched his leader go, wondering if this shady 'Swindle' mech might be able to procure him a couple of chastity locks as well.

 

* * *

 

  
When Starscream was excited his wings would flick. It was a tick he'd possessed since he was young, and one he adamantly denied he still had. Thundercracker and Skywarp knew him too well pass the twitching of certain appendages as a coincidence though.

They landed back at the arena, and the two sheets of streamlined metal shook as Starscream folded out of jet-mode.

Thundercracker shared a look with Skywarp behind his back.

"Report to Soundwave?" He asked, casting a distainful look at the crate of medical lubricant they had just hauled across the city-state like common grunts.

"He can wait," Starscream sneered, detaching the line between himself and their load. "We made good time. Fights won't have finished yet."

"Thinking of embarrassing yourself again?" Skywarp quipped.

"No," Starscream growled, "Merely spectating. Megatron hasn't forbidden that yet."

His wing flicked again. Skywarp arched a brow as their trine-leader turned and swept into the base. They followed.

"Thought you said these gladiators were all a bunch of 'snivelling, rusty wrecking balls that didn't so much as fight as swing their limbs around like malfunctioning windmills'". Thundercracker reminded him, fighting a smirk at Starscream's restless wings as they approached the arena stands.

"Does sound like something you would say." Skywarp added. "Or was that before one of them handed you your own aft in a fight lasting less than four minutes?"

"Circumstantial," Starscream, snapped, optics a dangerous smoulder over his shoulder. "Besides, some have their... _qualities_."

"Qualities," Skywarp purred, nudging Thundercracker knowingly. "Megatron got any qualities?"

Starscream ignored the jibe, but his wing did flick again. They had reached the upper circle now. The floodlights were on full power and the stands full. Thundercracker shielded his optics at the abrupt change in lighting, squinting past Starscream's proud silhouette at the screens offering close ups. Drones were clearing shrapnel off the pit floor. Just in time then.

"Move, gear-face!" Skywarp yelled, shoving a mech away from the barriers to lay claim on some decent seats. The mech didn't seem so much moved by Skywarp's aggression, but by the presence of his frame-type. Thundercracker sighed, and followed his trine, admittedly appreciative of the clear view they had of the pit below.

Starscream sat between them, reclining in his seat with his legs crossed at the knee, helm high and nose up, like he was in his private box at the Grand Vosian Opera House and not surrounded by yelling, jeering drunks about to witness killing for sport.

Thundercracker sat forward, leaning his arms against his thighs, helm ducked. At least they were too high to be splattered with the carnage.

"Do you think he'll use the mace?" Skywarp was yelling eagerly over the crowd, "I hope he uses the mace."

Starscream's wing flicked again, but his mouth twisted. Thundercracker knew he preferred it when Megatron used a sword.

Rhythmic banging rose to a near deafening volume as they waited, battle-cry of the arena soon following, 'Till all are one.' Thundercracker could see Skywarp mouthing along to it.

Finally, the gate began to rise. The crowd exploded, mechs jumping to their pedes eagerly to catch a glimpse of Megatron -their warrior, their leader, their _savour_ \- entering the pit. Starscream shifted in his seat, expression schooled.

His wings shuddered.

Megatron stepped out onto the floor, a huge energon hammer casually slung over his shoulder like he was still a miner on his way to work. His smirk was sure and blown up on the monitor screens. He looked cocky. Smug. His shoulders rolled with his signature swagger. Starscream's optics were bright and focused as they watched. Next to him, Skywarp was bouncing in his seat and pointing, waving his arms as if he thought he could draw Megatron's attention from all the way up there.

The gladiator lifted both arms in greeting to his crowd, turning on the spot. His optics were scanning the stands, searching-

Locking dead on Starscream.

Time seemed to slow from Thundercracker's perspective. Starscream exhaled, his frame deflating. Wings came forward and fanned wide, fingers twitched where they rested on his thighs. Down below Megatron had paused, his expression slipping, smirk not quite so cocky.

And then he looked away.

Starscream shook his helm as if chasing something from his mind, his arms crossed over his chest, almost self-consciously. Megatron's attention was back on the crowd, but his optics kept flicking their way.

Starscream's face looked a little colourful. But that could have been the lighting.

Either way, Thundercracker tried not to think too much of it.

 

* * *

 

Soundwave found his renegade seekers moments after Megatron had struck the killing blow. It had taken quite a few stern words to get them moving -Skywarp in particular. Seekers were only slightly more agreeable than Soundwave's cassettes.

Debriefing had lasted all of three minutes before Megatron came barging into the operations room, fresh enough from the arena that he was still panting and covered in his defeated opponent's life-fluid. Thundercracker gagged and fled the room, a servo to his mouth. Soundwave couldn't believe that anyone so squeamish would be stupid enough to pledge himself to such a bloodthirsty cause. Yet, here Thundercracker was.

"Ah, Starscream," Megatron purred as soon as he set optics on the tri-coloured seeker, seemingly unaware of the state of his armour or the hammer still held loosely in his servo. Starscream sneered at him, backing away.

"Suggestion." Soundwave intoned loudly. Megatron blinked and looked at him in surprise, apparently unaware that he had been in the room until just now. "Washracks."

Megatron glanced down at himself, arms aloft. He shook his servos out, flicking lifefluid from them. Starscream dived behind Skywarp, using him to shield himself. Skywarp squawked when he was splattered.

"My apologies," Megatron rumbled, neck craned to see Starscream.

"What do you want?" Starscream hissed over Skywarp's shoulder. "And don't come any closer. You're disgusting."  
  
"Affirmative." Soundwave stared at the gladiator intently. He was ignored.

"You made good time on your mission," Megatron let the stained hammer drop with a clang and rested his weight onto the handle, posing with casual indifference. Soundwave knew he felt anything but indifferent.

"He made us fly flat out," Skywarp supplied helpfully. "Wouldn't even let us stop for fuel."

Soundwave took an instant dislike to the overeager purple seeker. He was far too fond of Megatron and Starscream's unconvincing show of 'not-flirting' with each other and seemed only too happy to throw his trine-leader under the bus to elect emotional outbursts from them.

"There's nothing else to do in this Pit!" Starscream spat. "You don't think I'd rather be watching paint dry?"

"Well, I thought you were great!" Skywarp piped up.

Megatron ignored him too. "I bored you?"

Soundwave hoped to Primus Megatron wasn't going to end up taking this as a challenge.

"It's not your fault," Starscream cooed sarcastically, "You were built to mine in the mud. Not everyone can flourish in the spotlight."

"This from a mech defeated by collar and leash?" Megatron's temper, oddly, didn't begin to wear thin. He was enjoying the teasing.

"Megatron-" Soundwave tried to interject.

"At least I don't look like a mechling playing Whack A Watt-Mole at the funfair when I fight!" Starscream snarled, and he was losing his temper. But from Megatron's growing smirk, the gladiator liked that. "You're lucky your opponents lack the skill and speed of a real fighter."

"Oh?" Megatron purred.

"Screamer..." Even Skywarp was reluctant to let this interaction spiral any longer. He tugged on his trine-leader's wrist.

"I suppose you consider yourself in possession of such skills?"

"Of course I do."

"Shame they didn't surface during your big fight, isn't it?"

Starscream lunged. Soundwave caught the slighter mech about the waist within half a second, anticipating the move. The seeker didn't fight against his hold, but stayed glaring at Megatron. "I'll show you-"

"Wonderful," Megatron interrupted, sounding pleased. "First thing tomorrow, you will _show me_ on the training grounds."

"Training grounds? Worried for your reputation when I throw you into the dirt where you belong?" Starscream snarked, raising the stakes rather than backing down.

"You want an audience?" Megatron asked, bemused.

"No, Screamer," Skywarp tried, "Not again..."

"In the Pit, or not at all," Starscream hissed through his denta, shoving out of Soundwave's hold and letting Skywarp tug him towards the door.

"Have it your way." Megatron agreed.

Soundwave watched the seekers leave with his leader- Skywarp putting all his strength into pushing the venomously glaring Starscream out into the corridor and away from the gladiator. Only once they were out of sight did Megatron finally glance at his lieutenant.

"What?" He huffed.

"Idiot." Was all Soundwave had to offer.

 

* * *

 

  
Starscream had spent months studying Megatron's fighting techniques. He was fast and well-balanced, and used such attritbutes to his advantage against heavier, slower opponents. But seekers were always faster, and with the entire expanse of the pit at his advantage, Starscream was sure he could out-manoeuvre the bulky ex-miner.

"It's not to 'the death', stop fretting," Starscream snapped at Thundercracker.

His trine-mate was looking a little green -and had done so since the night before. He shook his helm wordlessly, lips pressed firmly together.

"It's gonna be in front of, like, a lot of bots," Skywarp reminded him solemly. "You know that right? I know it's not an official match, but everyone heard what happened last time and they can't wait to see-"

"Shut up, Skywarp."

His purple trine-mate squared his jaw, and threw out one last quiet, "You're gonna get slagged."

Starscream began to unsheathe one of his dual swords threateningly, "Skywarp."

"C'mon TC," Skywarp said bitterly, nudging his mate's wing, "We got ringside seats, Screamer. We'll see you out there."

Starscream ignored the swell of apprehension rising up his throat and steeled himself, mustering his confidence. He knew Megatron's every move, his habits, his stats, and the seasoned gladiator knew next to nothing about his own fighting techniques. Megatron would be as good as fighting blind.

Starscream squared his shoulders, fanned out his wings, and stepped up to the gate, closing down the bothersome memory files that popped up at the forefront of his processor, treacherously reminding him of his last attempt at this.

He had a reputation to restore. He had a gladiator to crush.

 

* * *

 

Megatron always stepped out first. It was his right, as reigning champion, to bask in the glory of an entire arena screaming his designation. The opponent had to step into a ring already turned against them, an underdog long before the bell even rang.

He worked the crowd lazily, twirling his broad sword to gain a few cheers of excitement, mind elsewhere. On Starscream. This would be a tricky fight. He was here to subdue, not deactivate, and he didn't want to risk any permanent damage to his best flier.

Perhaps he shouldn't have let the little brat goad him into this.

It mattered not. He would win. The seeker would be put back in his place, perhaps with a healthier sense of respect for his leader this time.

Besides, he was going to enjoy pinning those pretty wings to the filthy arena floor.

The gate opposite him opened. A spotlight swung away from him to track the glossy tri-coloured frame emerging. Starscream strutted out into the centre of the arena like an ancient god, sculpted and perfect, unruffled. expression schooled. A dark curl of incomprehensible desire brewed deep in Megatron's gut.

The crowd responded less enthusiastically. Megatron could hear the low drone of booing. Starscream took it in his stride, smirking confidently.

Starscream reached back with both servos and drew two long dual-swords from the scabbard between his wings. He twirled them fast enough that the blades whistled as they cut through air. "Scared?"

Megatron adjusted his grip on his own weapon, feeling nothing but exuberant. "Something like that."

Starscream sneered, and the bell sounded.

The seeker was fast, as all seekers were. Having not seen much of Starscream in combat before, Megatron felt at a minor disadvantage. But he knew Starscream led with his left, always moved first, that his pedes were never on the floor for long...

Megatron twisted away from one sword and ducked another, then kicked out at the seeker's pretty blue thrusters. Starscream dropped to one knee but rolled himself out of the way before Megatron could take advantage.

"That's the problem with you seekers." He commented, sword tip trailing in the dirt as he pursued Starscream. "You never _ground_ yourselves."

The seeker's handsome nose scrunched in distaste. Back on his thrusters, he rushed Megatron again, moving with the sort of speed and skill someone with a millennia of training possessed. Megatron's battle computer calculated an average of three strikes per second. He counter-parried for mere moments before the flat end of Starscream's left sword slapped against his side.  

He grunted. Starscream slipped past him with an arrogant smirk. The crowd were cheering, delighted at the show.

"You get that one for free." Starscream purred, "Next time, I draw energon."

"Hng," Megatron huffed, caught somewhere between anger and arousal. He couldn't wait to see that pretty face twist indignantly when he knocked the seeker on his shapely aft.

Starscream moved again. Megatron's battle computer adjusted, tracking the seeker's movements and looking for patterns. He used his greater weight to his advantage to buy himself time, bearing down on the seeker and driving him back. Starscream was good, but he was sixty percent flashy moves and showboating. This was the sort of fighting the high-caste trained in, graceful and artistic. Looks better than it actually is.

Regardless, Starscream was still the better dualist.

He was going to need a distraction.

Megatron blocked a downwards swing with his broad sword, and held it. Starscream smirked, bringing his other weapon around to Megatron's undefended side. Megatron caught it, wincing as the blade cut into his servo, energon ran down his wrist from the injury.

Starscream blinked in surprise, then savagely tore his weapon free, slicing the blade deeper as it passed through Megatron's fist. It stung, but Megatron had had worse. What mattered was that he had the seeker right where he wanted.

"Fool," Starscream began, weapon scrapping against Megatron's, "You've left yourself-"

Megatron kissed him.

The jolt of surprise that ran through the seeker sent Starscream's free weapon flying up in the air. Starscream yanked himself backwards in the same moment, sword lowering, optics wide with shock.

"You-!"

Megatron didn't stop. He swung for Starscream. The seeker only barely managed to block him, his stance unbalanced. Megatron was easily able to twist the sword out of the seeker's servo, disarming him. Starscream looked at his empty palm in shock.

Megatron stepped forwards and lifted the tip of his blade to Starscream's neck, letting the sharp point nick the armour under his chin. "Yield."

Starscream just stared at him.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

"Cheater!" Starscream raved, throwing his weapons to the armoury floor. "You cheated-!"

"He kissed you!" Skywarp laughed, wiping tears from his optics where he had been laughing non-stop for the past half hour. "He- _kissed_ \- and you just- you _dropped_ your _weapons_?!""

"Get out!" Starscream raged at his trine-mate, pink in the face.

Skywarp doubled over, half laughing, half gasping for breath.

"Perhaps you should accompany your trine-mate to the medics," Megatron purred, very eagerly watching the colour rise on the seeker's face. A flustered Starscream was a very entertaining one.

"Frag him," Starscream snapped, dismissing his trine-mate. "How _dare_ you-"

"How dare I?" Megatron smirked. Oh yes. This was good. Someone wouldn't normally get so worked up over an unconventional distraction technique unless there were other factors at play here.

"I am a high-caste _Prince_ ," Starscream sneered, revealing a lot of what Megatron had suspected and then some. "There was a time where I could have had you beheaded for such an overstep."

"A time long since passed, I take it?"

"You don't get to touch me, you filthy rock peddler!" Starscream screeched.

Megatron arched a brow. "I'll have you know my touch has been much desired."

"Do I look like a drone?" Starscream snapped, "Do I look like one of your hapless little share-wares?!"

Megatron decided not to answer that lest he draw yet more of the seeker's ire. Behind Starscream, Soundwave was watching them stoically, arms folded. He looked satisfied with the turn of events.

"-not even listening to me," Starscream snarled, stamping an impatient thruster and retaking Megatron's attention. He jabbed a digit in the much taller gladiator's face. "The next time you touch me, will be the last time you touch _anything_."

And with that he swept from the room. A sharp cry of 'Skywarp!' soon had his giggling trine-mate hurrying after him. Megatron peered around the doorway to watch them go.

"I warned you."

Megatron looked back at Soundwave's droll tone. "It was a harmless threat, that's all."

"Negative." Soundwave stated. "Starscream: trouble."

"I happen to like a little trouble every now and then," Megatron smirked, tank warming at the thought of Starscream's scowling, petulant face.

"No," Soundwave intoned. "We have enough 'Trouble' as it is. Do not provoke Starscream."

"That seeker looks like he could do with a little provoking," Megatron reminded his friend playful. He knew what Soundwave was getting at, but he wasn't going to put a little curiosity above the wellbeing of their faction. And that's all this was, curiosity. "He's a Prince..."

Soundwave was silent for a long while, "...Affirmative."

"The Wing Lord abdicated last vorn, didn't he?" Megatron pondered, stroking his chin. "Was Starscream an heir or a consort?"

"The intelligence unit has higher priorities," Soundwave derailed him. Such a killjoy. "The Royal Familial Unit is public record. Megatron; not too busy to look for himself."

Megatron huffed. "Well perhaps I will."

Soundwave sighed heavily. "Starscream; will accuse you of stalking."

"If he wasn't such a secretive snob, I wouldn't have to," Megatron defended himself. He had a right to know who was living under his protection, who was representing his banner. "And let him know he owes me a forfeit for his loss tonight."

Soundwave's helm tilted skywards.

 

* * *

 

The next few cycles didn't prove any easier on a Soundwave.

Starscream had slinked off to Primus-knew-where to lick his wounds. Such a thing should have been welcome to Soundwave. If Starscream wasn't strutting about the base, flashing his wings and flaunting his frame-type, then at least Megatron couldn't spend entire shifts ogling him. Megatron wasn't likely to be as distracted from his itinerary by the bulky frames of his fellow gladiators as he was over-polished seekers. 

What Soundwave had not anticipated for was what those bulky gladiators in question might have been bringing into the arena for their evening entertainments though. He knew from the security measures that some of the mechs brought... _companions_ into the -supposedly- secure living quarters behind the arena. Some of these guests were fans, eager for bragging rights. Most appeared to have been paid.

Regardless of how they had entered the base, they always seemed to find their way to Megatron lest Soundwave act as an appropriate deterrent.

He stood outside the operations room, guarding the door. Inside, Megatron was studying the footage of a recent Autobot raid on one of their safe-houses. It was late, and few had cause to be wandering the halls.

Someone was coming.

He went into reconnaissance-mode when what could only be described as a giggle sounded around the corridor. He turned up the volume on his audial sensor, listening in-

"-not quite what I was hoping for, frankly," the voice was soft. A femme. High caste accent. She sounded exasperated. "Shame he wasn't proportionate."

Further trespassers that had slipped through the cracks, Soundwave realised. Was he the only mech in this base had gave security a conscious thought? Did any of these gladiator's honestly know who they were granting such high priority access to for the sake of an interface?

"-really thought we might have seen _him_ though, you know?" Another voice, deeper. A younger mech perhaps? He sounded Praxian. "Apparently he has a reputation-"

Soundwave knew they were talking about Megatron.

"Enough," he intoned loudly, stepping around the corner. The two trespassers were obvious fans. They had painted themselves in the Decepticon's signature colour in stylish patterns across their faces and chests. It was smeared in places, by someone with large servos. If that hadn't been telling enough, the hum of their cooling fans and the strong waft of lubricant was rather obvious.

They jumped when they saw him. "Where did you come fr-"

"You are trespassing." Soundwave warned them. "Trespassers; will be removed by force."

"No wait!

"We were just leaving!"

They backed off fearfully, optics wide, the door-wings on the mech's back began to shake. Soundwave had them right where he wanted them. He lifted a blaster, ready to terrorise them beyond ever coming back here, when the door to the operations room opened behind him.

His victims' face's lit up like they were seeing Primus himself. Soundwave turned sharply to give Megatron the 'I'm handling it, go away' look, but the gladiator was too busy staring at the trespassers. One of the trespassers. The mech.

The mech's door-wings.

It seemed knowing Starscream had re-wired Megatron processor beyond help. His fixation on wings was worsening. 

"No." Soundwave told him, but the gladiator's befuddled expression had already morphed into that of a Smooth Operator, mouth twisting asymmetrically, brow arching. The two trespassers seemed to deflate, optics impossibly brighter.

"What do we have here?" Megatron leant against the wall casually, Primus help them.

"Trespassers." Soundwave said forcibly, but he was drowned out by the cries of, "Fans!" And, "We're big fans, sir, huge fans!"

Megatron really seemed to like that the mech had called him 'sir'. He was still watching the door-wings.

Soundwave moved between them to block the view. "Megatron; work to attend to. Soundwave; will deal with trespassers."

"Nonsense," Megatron waved him off like all was well in the world and they weren't being surrounded on all sides by Sentinel Prime's sudden push for Autobot forces in Kaon, or that they were burning through their resources faster than high-caste royalty. "I always have time for dedicated spectators."

The trespassers that had just been moments away from oiling themselves grinned back at their hero eagerly. "We've seen all of your speeches," the femme began. "And your fights-"

"-like that last one, with the swords and that seeker," The mechling picked up from her, his optics may as well have turned into little throbbing hearts with how adoringly he was looking at Megatron. "Such a clever way to un-focus your opponent, that kiss..."

He trailed off dreamily. Soundwave glared behind his visor at the ridiculousness. Megatron didn't seem bothered by it.

"Do you kiss all your opponents?" The femme asked boldly, twisting her frame to accentuate her assets. She smirked, "Maybe we should go a couple rounds-"

"I'm not sure you could handle it," Megatron responded saucily.

Soundwave had had enough. As much as he was going to regret it later, there was likely only one way he could get Megatron to drop whatever this clichéd flirting was going to lead to, and that was-

"Starscream." He intoned sadly.

Megatron's helm whipped around mid-sentence, his fans suddenly forgotten. "...He's back?"

"Negative." Soundwave consciously relaxed his servos out of fists, irate at how eager his leader was. "Intel has been gathered. Sensitive in nature."

It was an obvious hint to Megatron that he wasn't going to be slipping the engex-beans on Starscream until after he'd evicted the two hapless fans. If only regaining Megatron's attention didn't require furthering his obsession with this seeker.

"My apologies," Megatron said gruffly, dismissing the fans, and Soundwave comm'ed for the mechs on security duty to collect the two trespassers.

Once back inside Operations and removed of all distractios, Megatron took his usual seat- the largest one in the room, centred in front of the main console. He leant forwards eagerly, "Go on."

Suppressing a weary sigh, Soundwave turned to the monitor, tapping keys rapidly to bring up some of the files he had -reluctantly- collected on the mysterious seeker trine at Megatron's constant requesting. Megatron scooted closer, optics narrowed as he read at some of them.

"Starscream; surprisingly honest." Soundwave said, and brought forward a grainy picture of what looked like it might have been a much smaller Starscream on the edge of a group of seekers that could only be the Vosian Royal Household. "Youngest of the former Winglord's heirs. Prince. No further honorary titles."

"The youngest," Megatron stroked his chin in thought, "Certainly explains how entitled he is, doesn't it?"

Soundwave didn't answer with anything more than an exasperated look. He brought up more files, Iaconian Science Academy award certificates and expedition reports. "Starscream; accomplished astrophysicist, alien topographer, and seasoned intergalactic explorer. Intelligence; high."

"You don't say," Megatron huffed, leaning forward to flick through some of the files in closer detail. "He's cleverer than I would have given him credit-"

"Intelligence. Starscream; superior." Soundwave felt that was an important fact to drive home. Starscream was fully capable of outwitting Megatron in dangerous ways.

"There are more ways of defeating an opponent than out thinking them, Soundwave," Megatron murmured, optics still fixed on the screen. "That's what this arena is about, is it not? Some things need be taken by force."

Soundwave could only hope Megatron didn't get himself deactivated in any endeavours at taking _Starscream '_ by force'. 

 

* * *

 

Hiding among whores and shareware would not normally have been Starscream's first point of call, but avoiding the authorities _and_ Megatron in Kaon meant there was no choice but the brothel. It wasn't half as distasteful as Starscream had convinced himself it was going to be at least. The workers seemed friendly with Skywarp, who had made many of their acquaintances some time ago at a bar, and enamoured with Thundercracker, who just seemed to have that effect on femmes everywhere frankly.

The workers reminded Starscream too much of the palace-concubines his sire had used though, but no quite so well maintained. They wore the same frame-weary forced smiles and dim optics.

"Saw you on the holo," one of them, a bright yellow and orange older model, Apollo, snapped her digits at him on the second evening. He was alone at a table in the darkened corner, stewing. "That's were I recognised ya. Getting molested by Kaon's very own freedom fighter. Centre stage."

"You've mistaken me for someone else." Starscream ground his denta together.

"No way," Apollo smirked and plonked herself down into the seat opposite him. "Definitely you. Same sneery face an' everything."

"Wonderful," Starscream sneered, turning away when he realised he had done exactly that. "Don't you have a spike to sucking?"

"Don't you?"

She was rather quick for a piece of shareware. Starscream supposed he had to appreciate that. "What do you want?"

"A conversation," she shrugged, painted lips curving. "Why're you creeping 'round here anyways? Career change?"

"I aspire a little higher than a profession as shareware," Starscream boldly reached across the table and yanked the cube out of Apollo's slender servos. He peered into it, before shoving it back, disgusted. "Doesn't _anyone_ filter their fuel around here?"

"Ruins the taste," Apollo snorted unattractively. "Gotta have a little extra flavour."

"What's that? Dirt?"

"I'm surprised you're still in one Primus-damned piece with the way you rub everybot up." She shook her helm, "I'd slap you if I thought it'd leave a dent."

"I'm more than capable of handling myself." Starscream told her nastily. He was sure the same couldn't be said for her. What use did a whore have for weapons?

"Really, cause it looks more like everyone's been handling _you_ from what I've seen." She lifted her cube, no doubt to hide another smirk.

"And what have you _seen_?" He asked dangerously.

"They broadcast the fights," she threw a lazy arm back, towards the monitors mounted high on the walls. They played silently to themselves, the patrons of such an establishment having better things to hold their attentions than holo-vids. Starscream squinted at the footage currently playing. Low and behold it was Megatron, the wide shot angle leaving him little more than a tiny silver figure brandishing his toys and riling up the crowd.

Starscream looked away. "He's not as impressive as he looks."

Apollo swirled her cube. "Suppose I'll take your word for it. You got up pretty close and personal, after all. S'what brings me over here actually. Gotta question."

"Primus forbid." Starscream muttered. The only thing still keeping him in his seat was a dangerous cocktail of boredom and morbid curiosity.

"Couple of us were wondering, what's he like?"

"Who?"

" _Who_?" She mocked, "Who ya think? The big bad ol' slag-maker. Megatron. We're big fans, see. So spill, flyboy. What's he like?"

"He's impossible." Starscream answered, mostly because he didn't often get to vent his dislike to willing parties. "Thuggish, cocky, smug-"

"In the berth, I mean," She interrupted with a saucy brow wriggle.

Starscream nearly gagged, "Why the Pit would I know?!"

"You ain't clanging him?" She slammed her fist down, exasperated. "What I wouldn't give to take a ride..."

"Be my guest," Starscream shoved away from the table to stand, tanks rolling unpleasantly. Who knew who else thought he'd been- with _Megatron_?! Disgusting.

She flapped a servo before he could leave, taking another long swig of her filthy cube, "Nah, he don't like shareware. Don't like- paying or some slag." she tilted her cube all the way back and finished it, slamming it into the table. "Don't blame him. Gets plenty for free."

"Does he, now?" Starscream lingered curiously. He honestly couldn't give a slag about Megatron's 'facing habits, but if it betrayed a weakness? Now that could be useful.

"S'that why you're here?" She squinted at him weirdly. A swaying finger pointed at him. "You hiding cuz he smooched ya? He wanna do _more_ than smooch ya, huh?"

Starscream would have shot her had he not still required the good favour of his current hide-away. He might still shoot her, if she carried on. "It was a underhanded attempt at distracting me." Starscream told her snidely. "Nothing more."

She stared at him a long time, glossa running over her bottom lip, "...What's he taste like?"

Starscream swept her empty cube off the table and let it smash against the wall. The show of aggression did little to dissuade her. as he left her mocking voice drunkenly called after him.

"Least tell me how big it is?!"

 

* * *

 

"Ready to go back?" Thundercracker called to him when he reached the roof.

Thundercracker was more prone to claustrophobia than either he or Skywarp were, and Kaon's typically cramped building layouts didn't often agree with him. The blue seeker came out here for space, and quiet. Which was why Starscream so liked to bother him.

It was a cold night though. The wind chill breached beneath his armour and sent a shiver up Starscream's back. His wings flicked. Thundercracker arched a brow.

"Shut up," he hissed instinctively, willing his wings to lay still. "I don't think I can stand another moment in this disgusting hovel."

"Warp's enjoying himself."

Of course Skywarp was enjoying himself.

"Have you heard anything?" He asked.

"Soundwave hailed a couple times." Thundercracker answered. "Making sure we haven't up and defected, I suppose. And Megatron still wants that forfeit, apparently."

Starscream felt a pit open up where his tank should have been. He groaned, "He can wait for it till he rusts."

"It's probably something boring, like, being put on security for a stellar cycle, or having to clean up the arena after the fights with the drones." Thundercracker shrugged, "I don't know why you're getting worked up over it. He's not like what your minders said low-castes are like. They're not _all_ mindless rutting _-_ "

"Shut up, Thundercracker," Starscream hissed, pit opening further at the reminder of over-bearing, glorified royal babysitters. 

"Just be gracious in defeat and he probably won't gloat so much," Thundercracker went back to staring at the sky. "Besides, Soundwave never lets him have any fun. He'll keep it tame."

Starscream certainly hoped so.

 

* * *

 

The seekers were back. Soundwave had created an obstacle course of reports, files, briefings, and inspections to keep Megatron away from the prize fliers -and most importantly Starscream, with whom Megatron had a great deal to discuss with- until late evening.

Everything thrown at him now hastily shoved aside or crammed into his subspace when Soundwave's back was turned, Megatron had finally been able to track them down.

Starscream had not stopped scowling since he'd called the seeker's name, and it deepened even further when he proposed the forfeit.

"Inappropriate." Soundwave blared. Megatron jumped, unaware that his lieutenant had been behind him.

"It is not-"

"Starscream; subordinate." Soundwave's visor was pointed at the seeker this time. It was dangerously dim. "Private outing is too intimate a setting."

Megatron snorted, "It wouldn't be the first time we've been alone together."

Soundwave's visor snapped back to him, "Exactly."

"What makes you think I'd be willing to spend an entire evening in your company anyway?" Starscream sneered, arms folded aggressively. His wings flicked harshly. "And what do you imagine you'd be getting out of it?"

Megatron looked between the two angry mechs, processor ticking through potential responses quickly, until he settled on a rather impulsive, "Why, to better understand my new Air Commander, of course."

Soundwave made an odd staticky noise like he was choking on his own glossa. Starscream hadn't moved. He was glaring suspiciously.

" _Air Commander_." He repeated sarcastically. "I control the Air Force then. How lovely, there are _three_ of us."

"There won't always be." Megatron pointed out. "But we can discuss that..."

He lifted an expectant arm, gesturing for Starscream to go ahead of him. Soundwave was clinging to the wall, still struggling. Starscream watched him, expression unreadable, then rolled his optics.

"We agreed I would choose the establishment." He huffed.

Megatron let himself smirk, "Of course..."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately Soundwave won't recover from his attempt at asphyxiating himself fast enough to chaperone date number two.


	5. Chapter 5

With later hindsight, Megatron would realise he'd been too trusting of Starscream.

"Skywarp!" The seeker's scratchy voice called his trine-mate. "Warp us."

Skywarp, who looked like he had been enjoying the collective attention of half the arena's fighters in the communal barracks, climbed out of a large mech's lap and sulky came over. "I'm not a fragging taxi, ya know. Where you going?"

Starscream grinned devilishly, and Megatron wondered if he should be concerned at the cryptic response of, "Oh, the usual."

"Both of you?" Skywarp arched a brow, taking hold of each of their wrists, then lowering his voice and leaning into Starscream, "Screamer, are you-?"

"It's 'Commander' to you," Starscream told him hauntingly, sticking his olfactory in the air self-importantly, "I've recently been promoted."

Skywarp pulled an unreadable face, side-eyeing Megatron like one would their local disease infested pariah. Megatron began to feel rather uncomfortable. "You better tell me how you swung that later." He muttered, "Okay! Iacon it is!"

Megatron didn't have time to protest before his world vanished in a flash of purple. For a split second he was weightless, the only recognisable sensation was Skywarp's servo around his wrist. And then it ended. His pedes hit the floor, leaving him dizzy. Skywarp's touch vanished.

"Wait-" Megatron tried.

And then so did Skywarp.

Starscream was in front of him, brushing invisible dust from his impeccable frame.

" _Iacon_?!" Megatron barked, angling his helm back to take in the looking, pristine towers surrounding them. It was only early evening on this side of the planet, and far too busy a time in the cycle for the the likes of a planet-wide criminal to wandering the streets of the Autobot controlled super-city.

"I cannot be here!" He snarled at the seeker, dragging the flier's slighter frame with him as he ducked into a shaded alcove, looking all the while for security cameras. "Call your trine-mate back. _Immediately_."

Starscream shrugged his touch off, hissing, " _What_ did I say about touching me?"

Megatron could not believe the stupid brat would prioritise- "Are you trying to get us arrested?" He snapped.

"Wouldn't be a first for you, would it?" Starscream sneered, and stepped back onto the lit street. His wings glimmered under the artificial light. He looked so at home amongst the opulence- whereas even if he wasn't recognised Megatron would likely be arrested for 'disturbing the peace' three steps into the city square.

"You agreed I could choose the location." Starscream reminded him pettishly.

"And where would that be? A jail cell?"

"No one will arrest us," Starscream said condescendingly, "I'll make sure of it."

"How could you possibly ensure that?" Megatron shook his helm and activated his com. He could get Soundwave to re-send Skywarp- if his lieutenant was still speaking to him, that was. He wouldn't be surprised if his old friend had decided to let him reap what he'd sown.

"I am obviously a high-caste aristocrat." Starscream told him snottily, "It won't take much to convince any suspicious minds that you are simply my bodyguard."

"You don't need a bodyguard," Megatron grumbled, remembering how close Starscream had come to slicing him into Terraxian lace just the other night.

Soundwave wasn't picking up. The option of pickup now nonexistent, Megatron cautiously stepped out onto the street again. He wasn't immediately arrested. One step in the right direction then. "We shouldn't stay long-"

"We'll stay for exactly as long as I want to," Starscream snapped, scowling. "You wanted this forfeit."

"You have manipulated this situation, and you know it."

"Like you haven't manipulated every interaction I've had with you since pledging myself to your haphazard cause." Starscream began strutting down the street, wings high and sharp. "Hurry up, _bodyguard_."

Megatron bit his glossa and followed at a languid stride. He kept his helm down, back bowed so he wasn't quite so tall. "Where are we going?"

Starscream tilted his helm back to look at him, "My home away from home."

 

* * *

 

Starscream lured him to a set of high rises in the modern district. Security at the door took aggressive steps forward when they saw Megatron, blasters drawn, but a few of Starscream's condescending gibes aimed at his 'bodyguard' soon set them at ease. So long as the uncivilised looking brute was under control.

Megatron forced down mounting indignation when the security inclined their helms and called Starscream 'sir', unbothered with even meeting Megatron's optics.

The interior of the lobby was buffed to a high shine. The building must have had triple the cleaning drones it did residents. Everything was gold and white, and the colours reflected off Starscream's white wings mesmerisingly.

"Just follow my lead and everything will be fine." Starscream told him, approaching the elevators at the end of the lobby. The security was high-tech, requiring a spark scan to confirm identity. It recognised Starscream straight off the bat, all the seeker needed to do was add 'guest' to allow Megatron in too.

"So I finally get to see what you high-caste are wasting the planet's resources on." Megatron commented as he stepped into the elevator besides Starscream. The back was glass, giving them views of the city as it rose. Starscream jabbed the button for the top floor.

"Don't get excited. It's not all high grade and orgies, I assure you."

The doors pinged as they opened. Megatron stared at the back of the seeker's helm as Starscream stepped out, "Not all high-grade and _what_?"

Starscream tossed him a sly look over his shoulder and entered into the room with typical flourish, wings suddenly a lot higher. Megatron stepped out after him, somewhat shocked at the bright opulence of the room. High ceilings, artwork, archways, statues- Starscream blended into the surroundings flawlessly. Megatron, meanwhile, kept his arms tucked against his sides, feeling he was inevitably going to break something.

"-haven't seen you in an age, darling!" Starscream had already found what appeared to be an 'old friend'. She was very obviously a Tower femme, tall and narrow, white and blue accents. Top of the range. She held a tiny flute shaped glass of bright yellow fuel in one servo, the other flapped pathetically at Starscream.

"Those dreadful rumours said you were in Kaon."

Megatron had no idea what the scenario he had been shoved into was, but it was obvious these acquaintances -or whoever they were to the seeker- weren't very well caught up on Starscream's current situation. Megatron thought it only fair he set them straight, and he had already drawn interest from most of the room's occupants. He was taller than most and by far the least clean thing in the room.

He sauntered up behind Starscream, and the femme nearly swallowed her own ridiculously shaped glass when she spotted him.

"Ah," Starscream said without skipping a beat. "Rumours always have truth to them." He threw a servo back. It hit Megatron in the centre of his chest with a light clang. He frowned at Starscream. "I brought back a souvenir, see?"

"A souvenir?" Megatron growled, optics darkening dangerously, tempted to start stirring trouble for Starscream amongst his flapping hapless high-castes like a turbo-fox among the Cyberchickens. It would certainly be entertaining, as they barely seemed able to cope with the mere sight of him.

"Looks rather familiar," a nasally sounding voice announced to the left, and Megatron found himself being inspected by an ancient looking mech like an glitch-mouse in a laboratory.

"Don't be ridiculous," another well-aged femme reproached him. "Why would you have ever met a Kaonite? You've never left this district, let alone-"

"Tarn," Megatron corrected.

They paused and stared at him, like they hadn't expected him capable of higher speech. "I am of Tarn. Not Kaon."

"Oh well," Starscream's tower femme forced a smile, "Tarn is... it's..."

"You've never been." Starscream pointed out.

"I have seen the _news_ , thank you." She responded hauntingly. "Whatever did you bring him here for? I didn't think you were allowed to bring them into this state -"

"Bring _what_ , into this state?" Megatron bared his denta at her, daring her to say what she was obviously thinking. "What exactly do you imagine I am?"

The tower femme had lost all the colour to her face, and her fellow onlookers had suddenly become very interested in their drinks and backed off more than a few paces. "I... You're-"

"My protection," Starscream cleared up for her, giving Megatron a warning glance. "I hired him for my visit to Kaon."

The femme's face opened up with obviously relief. "Oh," she sighed, looking around at her friends. "Well, of course. Of course he is."

"Didn't think to give the mech some decent detailing though, did you?" the older mech pointed at Megatron's armour as if he couldn't hear him. "Your employees are a reflection on you. Can't have them wandering around looking like- like those barbaric fighters in the pits!"

Starscream's expression was very tight as he nodded, "Thank you. When I want the opinion of a old coot, I'll ask for it."

The mech looked offended, but the others in the gathered group laughed.

"Star, you don't have a drink," the tower femme commented when the conversation drifted away from Megatron personally and branched out towards the current political climate of the 'less developed' city-states. "Would you and your, eh, your protection...?"

"Yes, actually," Starscream beckoned Megatron to follow him like an owner would it's pet, keeping pace with the tower femme as he said, "It's time I showed him what refined fuel actually tasted like."

"You don't mean to say-!" The femme had a servo to her mouth, aghast.

"It's like they don't have a filtration system at all." Starscream agreed, shaking his helm. They reached a serving drone. Starscream snatched two tiny, oddly shaped glasses off the tray, shoving one at Megatron. "Here".

The glass was so small Megatron had to hold it between this forefinger and thumb. He sniffed it and the overpowering charge seemed to singe the inside of his olfactory. "What is this?"

"It's triple concentrate." Starscream explained, throwing it back in one. He tossed the empty glass back at the tray. "Zero percent impurities."

Megatron looked at the thing and wondered if it was going to bleach his insides. "Triple concentrate." He shook his helm. "Wasteful."

The tower femme laughed like he'd told a joke. "Well, what do you drink?"

Starscream was looking at him, as if trying to silently communicate what answer he wanted Megatron to give. Megatron ignored him. "Energon."

"Energon...?" She pressed.

"Liquified energon." He confirmed.

The tower femme looked at Starscream -who couldn't even force a smile this time- and then at Megatron again, shocked. "Right out of the ground?"

"I believe it's the refuse left over after the high-caste take their share," Megatron told her, because this was obviously the first time she had ever heard it, despite having claimed to have 'watched the news'. "If it were to be refined, they're be little left."

Starscream laughed falsely, pretending he'd made a joke, "Would you excuse us a moment, Synthia," he said in far politer a tone than Megatron had ever heard him use with him. "I must have a word with my... _Protector_ here."

He patted Megatron's chest unnecessarily hard. Struck by the new information, the tower femme didn't seem to notice. She nodded vaguely before wandering back off into the crowd.

Without the buffer of polite company, Megatron soon found himself being shoved into a darkened corner beneath the stairs.

"What the Pit are you doing?!" Starscream snarled, jabbing him in the chest. "You're embarrassing me."

"What did you expect?!" Megatron snapped back, "You brought me here to show me off to your high-caste friends?"

"These aren't my friends." Starscream muttered, looking aside, and then sneering, "And like anyone can 'show you off', look at the state of you-"

"Had I known I was playing the part of _Prince Starscream's protector_ tonight, I might have bothered to rinse off my last battle's filth."

Starscream scoffed and batted at his chest like he could remove some of the dust from Megatron's armour. He regretted it instantly when his servo came away dirty. "Ugh, just, just don't speak to anyone else."

"I don't recall you being my master, Starscream." Megatron said dangerously, looming over the shorter mech in their cramped surroundings. "Last I checked, I was _your_ superior."

Stasrcram shushed him, looking out from beneath the stairs at the gathered guests, wary of eavesdroppers. "Not so loud-"

"Don't want them knowing you've thrown in with the 'barbaric' Kaonites then?" Megatron arched a brow, leaning in closer, "it would be a shame for them to find out you'd been doing more than just vacationing in Kaon, wouldn't it?"

Starscream scowled, "...I'm not like them." He said intensely, seriously.

Megatron didn't believe him, "You're exactly like them."

He ducked out from beneath the staircase before Starscream could reply. The occasional guest tried to ogle him like the rare, out-of-place specimen he was, but he didn't stop on his way to the door.

He stepped into the elevator, opening his com-link to attempt another request for teleportation back to base from Soundwave, when a blur of white, red, and blue jumped into the elevator before the doors could close.

"Starscream," he growled.

"You're supposed to be my protection!" Starscream gasped, bracing himself against the elevator railing, winded from a scramble to catch up to him. "You can't leave without me. What'll they think?"

Megatron leaned in, "I don't give a damn what they think."

Starscream looked more cowed than he ever had, squinting un-surely. "...We're going back?"

"I am." Megatron jabbed the down button. "You can do what you like."

"What are you so fragged off for?" Starscream suddenly lost his temper. He stamped a thruster like the spoilt little prince he was. "You knew where I came from? You're going to choose _now_ to be offended by it?"

Megatron didn't bother to respond. The doors opened when they reached the bottom. He stepped out, ignoring Starscream as the seeker chased after him. "Megatron!" He squawked.

Security turned to consider them as they excited the building, but considering the wild-lifestyle the high-caste often lived, they didn't see much out of the ordinary with a seeker arguing with his 'bodyguard'.

"You're making a fool of yourself," Megatron told the seeker chasing him. His comm was still ringing, waiting for Soundwave to pick up. If his lieutenant was still ignoring him, it would certainly serve him right.

"Then just _listen_ to me-"

"I've known enough fair-weather revolutionaries to recognise another." Megatron was too tired to even be angry with the seeker. He moved off of the street into a darkened alleyway. "This may be a petty game of revenge for you, but for some of us, our lives depend on it."

"How dare you," Starscream's expression twisted angrily, "I gave up _my life_ for this joke," he gestured behind at the tall buildings in the distance, "I gave up _this_."

"You didn't give it up," Megatron snorted, "it was taken from you. And you want to get back at the senators that did it."

"That's not-"

Starscream froze, looking aside.

"What are doing?." Megatron began, but was shushed hurriedly. Starscream tilted his helm in the direction of the alleyway's mouth. Listening.

"We need to go." He hissed, grabbing Megatron's arm, thrusters igniting.

"Hold it!" A loud voice called.

Megatron looked over Starscream's helm to where four frames had filled the entrance to the alleyway. The lighting wasn't dim enough for Megatron to miss the Autobot insignias decorating their chests. He tugged his arm out of Starscream's wrist when blasters began to whir.

"Don't even think about it." One of them said, stepping closer. "You're surrounded. Seeker, if you take off we'll aim for your wings."

Starscream's thrusters powered down. He glanced at Megatron, then behind him, muttering a sarcastic, "Oh, great."

Megatron didn't need to turn around to know there were Autobot's closing in from behind as well.

"Starscream of Vos," the lead Autobot smugly announced, holstering his weapon and folding his arms over his broad chest. He was short, even for an Autobot, and painted in varying shades of blue. "Interesting company you're keeping."

Megatron let his frame relax minutely. The Autobot's had recognised Starscream, not him. There might be escaping this yet.

Starscream's wings dropped low. "...Is there a city wide curfew now?" He sassed the Autobot confidently. "I know you'd like to, but you can't arrest me for just having wings, you know."

"Don't act so innocent, seeker," the Autobot came closer, followed by his cautious comrades, blasters still trained on their helms and chests. "Not even getting into what the Pit you're doing with _this_ ," he gestured to Megatron, "But I got a warrant."

He projected said warrant out of a device on his wrist. Starscream's mugshot flashed up. Despite the situation Megatron leant in, curious. He managed to read an interesting few convictions listed next to the seeker's designation.

"Cuff em," the Autobot ordered. "Both of them. This one looks like one of those insurgents."

Megatron debated putting up a fight, but there had to have been twenty Autobots. He was unarmed and had no way of getting out of the city with any level of efficiently. It would be a wasted effort. He reluctantly allowed himself to be cuffed. Starscream wasn't so compliant- hissing, twisting and snarling curses as his arms where forced behind his wings.

"I'm calling my lawyer!" He squawked as they were led out of the alley and towards a waiting high-security transport shuttle.

Megatron rolled his optics. Of course Starscream had a lawyer.

"Under Sentinel Prime's latest Rebel Suppression Act, you're not entitled to one," the Autobot told Starscream delightfully, shoving him into the transport harshly. The seeker must have tripped because Megatron heard him hit the side and curse.

Megatron wasn't so easily manhandled, most likely due to his weight. The Autobot's still did their best to make him as uncomfortable as possible though, cramming him in besides Starscream. The doors slammed shut, throwing them into darkness. The side of the transport was hit from outside, the lead Autobot calling, "So long, Con's!" before the transport's thrusters ignited.

Starscream rolled onto his back from where he had landed face down on the transport floor. He stared up at Megatron.

"This is _your_ fault."

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

They had Starscream on several outstanding warrants. Megatron managed to overhear; multiple counts of assault, verbal assault, murder, destruction of state property, extortion, firing upon state officials, firing upon senators, the ransacking of a rust stick factory, the manufacture and distribution of illegal weaponry, fraternising with known criminals, and many more colourful charges before Starscream's indignant yelling drowned the rest out.

"-plotting the assassination of the Prime!" The Autobot continued to read over the top of Starscream's noise.

"You make _one_ joke about shooting that trice crowned idiot and it's held against you for _life_!" Starscream squawked. Megatron let his helm thunk against the holding cell wall, waiting for Starscream to get himself smacked by a less than patient Autobot.

"Can't you get your seeker to shut up?" A mech on the other side of the holding cell asked as they listened to the commotion.

Megatron shook his helm solemnly as he answered, "There is no shutting him up."

There was a loud clang, follow by an Autobot in obvious pain yelling, "Ah-Primus damn-! Wanna add another count of assault!? Fragging seeker!"

"I'll show you assault!"

More clanging and scrapping noises. A yell. Then angry muffled screeching noises.

Megatron waited, and before long the seeker was being forced before the cell. Three huge Autobot's on one determined little seeker. The Autobots -covered in scratches that hadn't been there before- tossed Starscream in, unwilling to risk him getting his claws into them again.

The cell door clanged shut and Starscream was on his thrusters in seconds, face and servos pressed against the bars as he screeched, "I'll remember your faces, you uncoordinated colour wheels!"

"Starscream," Megatron murmured wearily, "Save your energy."

"The nerve of these Autobots," Starscream was hissing resentfully, "Arresting me! Who do they think they're dealing with? How dare they-"

"Perhaps you should have considered the consequences of your crimes. What was that I overheard? The 'ransacking of a rust stick factory?'"

Starscream's lips pressed together, "That was Skywarp." He huffed, "He used my colours and warped in. Thought it'd be a funny prank."

Megatron nodded in understanding. "Was that before or after the murders?"

Starscream whipped away from the bars, "Oh, it's not like you don't do it!"

"Touché," Megatron murmured, leaning back against the cold, hard wall and shuttering his optics.

"I don't know what you're so relaxed about," Starscream muttered, folding his arms across his chest. He gave the other occupant of their cell a distasteful look and shuffled closer to his leader. "They're going to get a match back on your spark signature soon. They'll know who you are."

"I'm sure they will." Megatron sighed.

"They'll transfer you to maximum security." Starscream continued muttering. He shuffled closer and sat on the end of Megatron's bench. "Skywarp can't breach the shielding there."

"Stop fussing," Megatron grunted, onlining an optic to peek at the seeker. "Soundwave will have us freed long before it gets to that."

Starscream now relatively satisfied, they sat in silence for a while. Megatron kept his processor focused on the Autobot numbers. How many officers had brought them in, how many were at the desks, and what the cameras were pointing at. His concentration was broken when Starscream scooted along the bench, his wing brushing Megatron's shoulder.

Megatron glanced at him but Starscream was determinately looking at the floor. His wings were low, arms still tight around his front. Frowning, Megatron glanced across at the mech sharing their cell. He was staring at Starscream, the expression on his face downright lecherous.

With a gruff noise Megatron threw his arm around Starscream, tugging him tight to his side, glaring at the mech, daring him to try anything. Starscream tensed against him at first, looking up in surprise, but caught on quickly when he saw the somewhat dissuaded look on the other mech's face.

He relaxed against Megatron, a warm, gentle weight on his armour. Megatron tightened his arm subconsciously, enjoying the feel of Starscream's wing against him.

 

* * *

 

There wasn't much crime in the centre of privileged Iacon. The station was quiet and the Autobot's weren't pushed for time in dealing with their few prisoners.

Hours passed and they must have been dozing, because Starscream's spark nearly jumped out of it's casing when a huge explosion rocked the building. He squawked, holding on to whatever he could as rubble rained down from above, the shockwaves threatening to bring the building support down and the ceiling with it.

It settled, and outside the cell blaster-fire began to echo. Starscream onlined his optics to a room filled with dust. And to discover he had jumped pretty much into Megatron's lap.

His leader's arms were tight around his back. He appeared not to notice their compromised position as he grabbed Starscream's chin and tilted it up. "-alright?"

Starscream could hardly hear him over the ringing the explosion had left in his audials, the sensors cutting out every other second. He blinked stupidly.

"Star- -ight?" Megatron yelled again, giving him a little shake.

He knocked himself out of it, shaking his helm out of Megatron's grip and scowling, "Yes!" He snapped, "Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Let's go." Megatron stood, and Starscream slipped out of his lap, fighting a ridiculous blush. They had been thrown into the middle of a battle. Soundwave must have mobilised their forces to overwhelm the peaceful little security station. Their upper-hand wouldn't last long, but at least for an overbearing meddler, Soundwave was efficient.

Regardless of the structural compromise of the building, they were still trapped in their holding cell. Megatron braced a pede against the wall and began to pull at the bars. They held, but the walls around them did not. Starscream watched, awed at the raw power of Megatron's frame as with two harsh tugs, the cell wall collapsed.

Megatron stepped over the rubble, extending his servo and helping Starscream over afterwards. The mech sharing the cell with them scrambled out after, heading down the corridor, away from the blaster-fire.

"Can you reactivate your comlink?" Megatron tugged them behind the corner, leaning out to see if the next corridor was clear.

Starscream glanced at it, fiddling with the deactivated controls. "Not without tools."

"We cannot hail Soundwave," Megatron murmured, thinking, "We have no weapons and the Autobots will be shooting at anything that moves..."

"Sounds fun," Starscream smirked, and Megatron returned the expression. Starscream's spark drummed in it's casing. It was the excitement of the escape, that was all. "...But I'm sure we can find some weapons."

Autobot security evidence rooms were always more bountiful than their armouries. Who wanted to fight their way out of battle with a pathetic regulation blaster when they could just as easily get hold of a missile launcher and cause ten times the chaos.

"It's too heavy for you." Was Megatron's idiotic excuse use for why Starscream couldn't have the missile launcher despite having seen it first.

"Stop screwing around!" Starscream hissed, trying to tug it down off Megatron's shoulder. "I'm a better shot."

"So you won't need something quite so big," Megatron spun and left him to all the non-missile launching weapons.

"Idiot!" Starscream called after him, snatching up a nasty looking modified double barrelled blaster instead. "You better watch your back because it won't just be Autobots shooting at you.'

Megatron's laugh echoed out from the corridor. Starscream smiled and hurried after him, not wanting to miss whatever damage that thing would do to an Autobot. He arrived just in time to see an explosion as the missile hit an occupied guard station. The entire thing went up in flames.

The smoke had barely cleared before a familiar voice suddenly called. "You wanna watch it with the explosions?!"

Starscream squinted, trying to see through the smoke. "...Thundercracker?"

A blue wing swung into view, half hidden by smoke. Megatron lowered the missile launcher just a fraction, lifting his helm. Thundercracker stepped forwards, coughing and waving the smoke away from his intake. "Primus. Nearly got me-"

"Where are the others?" Megatron stood and strode towards him, "What's the extraction plan?"

"Skywarp," Thundercracker coughed again. "Autobot's have the building surrounded. We can't fly out. He's already warped the first group back."

Megatron nodded, satisfied with the plan. "You and who else?"

Starscream didn't know why Megatron would bother asking. Soundwave materialised out of the smoke like a vengeful ghost, visor a deep crimson. "I am beyond reproach." Was all he said.

"It was Starscream they arrested," Megatron immediately passed the blame. He let his stolen missile launcher drop to the floor with a thunk. He wouldn't be needing it anymore, and the weapon was likely traceable.

Starscream scoffed, but Soundwave didn't seem to consider it a valid excuse anyway.

"Unforgiven." He intoned loudly.

Megatron actually looked a little repentant.

The smoke filled room flashed purple to signal Skywarp's return. "Okay, let's go." The seeker held out his servos, wriggling his digits enticingly. "Everybot grab a partner!"

Thundercracker took an offered servo. As did Starscream. Soundwave attempted to move past Thundercracker to take Starscream's free servo before Megatron did, but Thundercracker seized the lieutenant's wrist before he could, smirk knowing.

Starscream scowled at his trine-mate as Megatron's digits entwined with his own, big, warm and slightly worn. They squeezed around Starscream's slighter digits when Skywarp activated his warp-drive, and the ruin of the Autobot jail cells disappeared from sight and mind.

 

* * *

 

Starscream wasn't half the brat Megatron had accused him of being. He seemed to have his moments. He was quick-witted, funny, unafraid to speak his mind, and didn't seem to be sneering at Megatron half as often since their jail break. Perhaps something had changed...

Soundwave was still running interference on them, but Starscream seemed adept at sneaking under his lieutenant's radar. He was always present for the evening's fights, and always first in the briefing rooms for orders. Always eager to impress. Always by Megatron's side. It was fortunate that Starscream was an ally, or his penchant for being so slippery might have been a problem.

Megatron preferred to train at dawn. Few roused so early and he found the time spent more productive when he was allowed to run himself through his drills undisturbed. The stands were empty save for the odd gladiator sat up front sharpening a weapon, or studying their champion's technique.

Megatron knocked the holographic projector he was fighting against with his pede when it glitched, picture frizzing. Damn outmoded technology. He kicked it again, harder in his frustration. The hologram zipped back into the device with a negative sounding beep.

Megatron stared at it, about to crush it under pede in annoyance, when he caught a flash of bright glossy white and red in his peripheral vision. He glanced up. It was Starscream at the top of the stands. Watching him.

Having noticed he'd been spotted, Starscream leant back in his seat, folding his arms and looking away, like he _hadn't_ just been gazing across the arena longingly. Megatron tried to make sense of why he was here.

He abandoned the useless projector and headed towards the stands, leaving his weapon propped up against the arena wall before climbing the steps. Starscream was on the very top row, most likely because he thought he wouldn't have been seen. Perhaps he wouldn't have, had his armour not been so bright.

"Megatron." Starscream greeted him disinterestedly. His wings flicked back, a little nervous twitch, perhaps?

"Starscream," Megatron murmured, falling into the seat beside him heavily. "Rare to see you online before noon."

Starscream flashed him an unimpressed look. "I don't often have reason to." He sniffed.

"And today you do?" Megatron questioned.

The seeker shrugged, watching the gladiator sharpening his weapon down below. "I came to watch my favourite gladiator training."

Megatron's spark pulsed warmly, spreading heat to his entire frame. He shifted, sliding his arm across Starscream's seat back. "Oh?"

"It's been rather disappointing actually," Starscream said cheekily, rolling his helm back around to meet his gaze. "All he's done so far is kick around the projector and flirt with the spectators."

"He should get back to work then." Megatron agreed, leaning in. Starscream's optics were complex and pretty, he could see himself reflexed back in the glass.

One pointed digit touched his chest armour, the light pressure just enough to keep him at bay. "Indeed he should." Starscream agreed, shapely lips curving.

Megatron wanted more than anything to slap Starscream's servo away and close the distance, and Starscream looked like he knew it.

"Go on," he seeker poked him, "Impress me, champion."

With great reluctance, Megatron stood, backing out of the stands slowly. Starscream watched him descend the stands and re-enter the pit. Megatron scooped up his weapon, spinning it in his servo with what he hoped Starscream thought was incredible skill. Far above, the seeker leaned forward in his seat again, chin propped in his servos.

Megatron smirked to himself as he got back to work.

 

* * *

 

It was harder for Soundwave to pull rank on Starscream and order him away from Megatron's wanton clutches when the seeker was still walking around calling himself Air Commander. Soundwave humoured him, because he knew Megatron wouldn't be taking his side if they got into a disagreement - not when the gladiator was still working so desperately hard to get between Starscream's over polished wings.

He suspected he was too late either way. The only thing worse than Megatron spending all hours of the cycle staring at Starscream's wings, was Starscream spending all hours of the cycle staring at Megatron's aft. If this escalated, he was going to have to order the medics to shut off their optical feeds.

Soundwave was ringside when fight night was in full swing. Megatron was centre stage, half way through a rather one sided fight with a mech from Polyhex. Soundwave mostly watched the fights to ensure Megatron stayed fighting fit, that he received no injuries that ran the risk of being forgotten or ignored by the rather distracted gladiator.

Beside him was Starscream, who had at many times in the past expressed disgust for sitting in the 'splash zone' of the arena, but this cycle seemed only too eager to be as close to the fight as possible. Soundwave kept nudging him to sit back in his seat, worried the seeker was going to vault over the barrier and into the pit with the way he kept fidgeting.

"Sit down." He reminded him for what had to be the sixth time. "Starscream; can see adequately from his seat."

Starscream graced him with a glare, but otherwise ignored him as he watched Megatron dance around the pit with his opponent, lengthening the match for the spectators enjoyment more than anything else.

Every time the hapless opponent was knocked to the floor, Megatron looked Starscream's way, stalking the length of the pit, waiting for his enemy to stand again. Starscream's wings fluttered under their leader's gaze.

Soundwave let his helm thunk back against his head-rest. If Starscream really had fallen for Megatron's charms, this was far, far beyond his help. He shook his helm at the seeker, regretful of his inevitable fate as yet another one of their leader's berth-post notches.

The crowd exploded when the killing blow was struck, and Starscream was on his thrusters again. Not cheering. Not clapping. Just staring. Megatron lifted his weapon in victory, turning on the spot once, before letting his optics settle on Starscream.

Soundwave knew exactly what the gladiator was thinking, and exactly how the seeker would respond.

Megatron moved, dragging his weapon behind him, and Soundwave watched Starscream's chest inflate with a deep breath. The seeker leant over the barrier separating them from the arena. Megatron was splattered up one side with energon, and the other with dust. He wasn't an attractive sight. Starscream didn't seem to mind. He angled his helm up when Megatron stopped at the barrier, bare inches were separating them.

But Megatron took Starscream's servo instead, bending over it at the waist and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. His mouth lingered on the metal, before drawing back just enough to murmur, "Your highness..."

Soundwave thought Starscream was going to melt on the spot. Megatron released him and walked backwards away from the stands. Starscream watched him. His wings fluttering and dropping low, expression wistful.

Soundwave offlined his visor at the sight. He had tried so hard.

 

* * *

 

Megatron had barely returned his weapon to the armoury when he was accosted by two white wings and the seeker attached to them. His sword fell to the floor with a clang when he instinctively lifted his servos to catch the airborne projectile, ending up with an armful of warm, eager seeker.

His back hit the armoury shelve, and deadly weapons rattled in their stands behind him as arms looped around his neck held him in place for the most ferocious kiss he'd ever been victim to. Megatron inhaled through his olfactory, struggling to find the processing power to kiss back as Starscream licked past his lips and tried to suffocate him under a wave of unquenchable desire.

Suddenly the seeker broke away, optics wide and face as purple as Skywarp's armour.

"I-" Starscream released him as if electrocuted, dropping back to the ground, seemingly surprised by his own actions. "I wanted to congratulate you on your win-"

Megatron snorted and seized Starscream by the wing to yank him back in. The seeker didn't protest, gasping when he was pinned to the gladiator's chest. Megatron peered down at him, servo tracing the seams of Starscream's wing. The armour there was smooth and glossy, and everything Megatron had imagined it being. It twitched under his touch.

"We should celebrate." He suggested.

Starscream nodded, his servos flat against Megatron's chest, "Yes. We should."

"My quarters then?" He smirked, and let his servo wander lower, down Starscream's back to the generous swell of the seeker's aft. He gave it a rough squeeze.

"Careful," Starscream twitched awkwardly, like he wasn't used to being touched like this. His optics took on a dangerous sharpness. "I've killed mechs for less."

"Oh, I know," Megatron ran a digit along the edge of a wing. "I heard the Autobot's read your charges-"

It was like a switch. Starscream went stiff. He scoffed and stepped out of Megatron's hold, stomping off in the direction of the exit. Megatron watched him go, arms cold and empty in the seeker's absence. The only thing faster than Starscream's altmode were his mood-swings.

"...You'll still be celebrating with me, won't you?" He asked, hope dwindling.

"You'll be lucky!" Starscream snarled back, disappearing out of the armoury.

Megatron wondered why Soundwave had gone to such extreme lengths to sabotage any chance of him being intimate with Starscream when he appeared to be perfectly capable of doing it himself.

"Starscream!" He called, taking off after the seeker, "Wait! I need a Second in Command...!" 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Megatron just can't seem to stop promoting his boyfriend.


	7. Chapter 7

Soundwave was struggling to place Starscream's current level of importance.

'Air Commander' had been bad enough, but 'Second In Command' meant the floozy of a seeker had now officially usurped Soundwave's own rank. All without an iota of loyalty or respect for the mech who had put him there. If anything, at least it meant Megatron had finally had his way with the stuck up Vosian Princeling and productivity would return as usual.

Wrong.

Megatron was being aggressive, both in the Pit and out of it. Orders were barked and expectations near impossible. His fighting style had lost all showmanship and instead he was swift and brutal, and often cruel. And none of that combined well with a stiff, abrasive Starscream in the confines of the briefing rooms shared with a dozen other fighters.

Whatever was brewing between them had not been settled yet, and as Soundwave had always suspected, it was having a detrimental affect on the arena.

"This has to be some Primus-damned joke!" Starscream barged into the briefing room and lived up to his designation as he slammed the mission brief Megatron had sent him into the desk, uncaring of his audience. The screen on the brief cracked. Megatron turned from a monitor he had been studying to observe him.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"It's beneath me." Starscream jabbed the broken datapad, "I won't do it."

"It's an infiltration mission. You are an infiltrator. You will do it." Megatron countered calmly.

Soundwave brought up a copy of whatever mission Megatron had tasked the seeker with to see what had gotten him so worked up. It was an undercover mission, to Vos. Odd, Soundwave would have thought the seeker would want any excuse to get out of Kaon with his constant criticism of the city.

"For two stellar cycles?!" Starscream roared, drawing the attention of even those who had been actively trying to ignore their disagreement. Soundwave stepped up, ready to defuse the situation. Starscream looked moments away from vaulting over the desk he was braced against and trying to kill his leader. "You want me gone? Just _say it_!"

"Someone is feeding Autobot enforcers information," Megatron said bluntly, surprisingly stiff and businesslike. "Intelligence has traced them back to Vos. High-caste seekers. Your brethren-"

"You think it's me!?" Starscream snarled. 

"You're not subtle enough," Megatron prised the battered datapad out from under Starscream's claws, shaking away the loose pieces of screen, "You're going to re-associate yourself with the inner circle and discover who has been spilling our secrets-"

" _Our_ secrets?" Starscream's mouth twisted, optics sparking, "Or yours? Who have you been letting _so close_ , Megatron?"

Soundwave picked up on the jealous lilt to the seeker's tone and decided this was a battle Megatron was going to have fight on his own. Megatron's conquests always came back to bite them in the figurative aft, whether it be casual pickups from bars making off with security codes, or the esteemed guests Megatron charmed into his quarters and past his firewalls. Soundwave knew the information leak was coming from Vos's senatorial office, and he knew Megatron had _entertained_ members of a visiting delegation one evening after a big win.

Megatron, predictably, looked his way. Soundwave became very interested in one of the monitor screens.

"Why are so against following orders?" Megatron turned back to Starscream, now on the offensive. "Your position does not exempt you from them."

"You want a lackey to spy for you in Vos?" Starscream snapped, "Send one of your mindless grunts to do it. It's above my station-"

"I can demote you again, if that's the problem." Megatron reminded the seeker darkly, and Soundwave looked towards them in interest again, dearly wishing the seeker pushed the gladiator just a little further.

"Why does it have to be me?" The seeker complained sullenly, reminding Soundwave a great deal of his youngest cassettes when they didn't get their way.

"Are you suggesting I send Strutsmasher?" Megatron lifted a servo and gestured. The hulking gladiator in question raised his helm, optics widening in alarm at the possibility that he could actually be sent in the seeker's stead to play the part of a high-caste politician.

"Thundercracker," Starscream argued, "Or Skywarp. Send one of them out of state-"

"I'm sending you."

"Megatron's decision; final." Soundwave finally had enough and stepped in.

"No one asked you." Starscream's expression was thunderous. He turned back to Megatron, "You're planning something." He accused. "Why else would you send me away?"

"I have every right to make my own plans," Megatron growled, tone insinuating... _something_. "Unless, of course, you wished to reaccept my offer...?"

A myriad of emotions played across the seeker's face then. Soundwave watched with growing interest as Starscream's optics dimmed with wistful desire, lips pursing together as he repressed it. His cheeks warmed with energon. Not the reaction to being propositioned Soundwave would have expected from a seeker such as Starscream. Unless...

"You'd like that, wouldn't you!" Starscream barked harshly, and then spun on his heel to leave the room, and presumably, prepare to leave for Vos.

Megatron dropped into a seat with a heavy thud, fists curled against the desk as he glared after the seeker resentfully. "Get back to work!" He snarled at the mech's not quick enough to pretend they had already done so.

Soundwave returned to his own reports, but couldn't escape the feeling that he might have misjudged something about Starscream.

 

* * *

 

Intimate frustration wasn't something Megatron was used to feeling. Willing partners were never hard to find, and more often than not he had to fight them off. But Starscream... was proving difficult.

He had successfully thawed Starscream's icy exterior and the attraction between them was mutual, he was sure of it. But he had not accounted for the seeker being such a prude. Perhaps that was how he had been taught to view 'facing, Vosian's were often victims to their own outdated customs and Starscream was from an ancient household.

Whatever the reason, Megatron just did not have the celibate patience to wait for Starscream to be charmed enough by his advances to finally submit to his base coding, nor was he satisfied with the company of his own servo night after night.

But with Starscream now a safe hundred thousand miles away in Vos, Megatron was free from the seeker's ever watchful gaze to seek alternative company.

A group of colourful femmes often gathered by the entrance to the pit, draping their petite frames over the barriers as they hollered at the emerging gladiators, hoping to gain the optic of their favourite champions. Megatron hadn't had chance to flirt with them for some time now. Starscream's enviously deadly presence chased fans off with far better efficiency than Soundwave had ever managed.

"Well, if it isn't the big mech himself," short but proud, Astra, a sky blue femme, swung her legs over the barrier and leant down as Megatron approached. "Where's your handsome mate gone?"

"I do not have a mate." Megatron told them firmly, but smirked at the way they gathered closer together and preened under his attention. "Which is why I find myself looking for company this evening."

"You mean that seeker's on the market?" One of the femmes asked boldly, completely dismissive of Megatron's open offer.

"No," he snapped, glowering at her, a dark wave of possessiveness washing over him at the thought of someone else appreciating Starscream's armour.

Astra laughed loudly, defusing the situation, "She's just playing. 'Sides, that pretty jet's only got optics for one gladiator." Her optics fluttered, "As do I..."

Megatron eased off. He had been with Astra before, and could say he trusted her as much as he could anyone outside his faction. She was beautiful, proactive, and most importantly, durable. Undoubtably the best option to get Megatron out of his dry spell.

He beckoned her down, and she pushed herself off the railing to land on the pit floor besides him, extending her arm out for him to take. He took her sky blue servo in hand, contemplating how similar the colour was to a certain seeker's own bodywork. Starscream's servos were stronger though, and warmer against his plating.

He dismissed the thought and led Astra away from her posy back through the entrance into the armoury. She called back to them, laughing that she 'wouldn't be long' before slapping at Megatron's arm to let him know she'd only been joking.

"Been a while since I've managed to get your attention," she said, leaning in close. She smelt good, as most un-owned femmes with the freedom to visit places such as arenas did, and the coppery scent reminded him again of someone else.

"You okay?" She nudged at him, voice gentle. Megatron snapped himself out of it and looked down into her open face. He grunted noncommittally.

"You're off in your own world..." She tried again, stroking the side of his face.

Megatron inclined his helm and kissed her. She reciprocated immediately, soft lips parting beneath his glossa. He walked her backwards into the armoury's corner, and she went willingly, slight servos caressing the armour of his hips.

Astra was kind, honest, and brave; qualities that had often drawn Megatron to her amongst the deviant masses of Kaon whenever he was looking for a casual partner, and the only one he had ever been with more than once. The only one whose company he actually enjoyed alongside their physical body. The only one he would count as a friend.

But she wasn't what he wanted.

He pulled out of the kiss with an irritated noise, glaring aside as he tried to chase off thoughts of wings and thrusters and a dark, smug smirk. Of how he'd rather be fighting off claws and clumsy kisses instead of gentle touches and soft servos.

Astra watched him curiously. She was used to being ravaged by her favourite gladiator. Her brow creased at his unusual behaviour.

"Oh," she smiled after awhile, tiny servos pushing Megatron's off her hips. "You've got it bad, huh?"

Megatron side-eyed her resentfully, jaw clenching, "If you're insinuating-"

"Primus forbid someone make an honest mech of Tarn's legendary casanova," she teased, slipping out from between him and the wall. "I don't mind you not thinking of me, but it's obvious you can't get something outta your processor."

Megatron glared. He didn't distrust Astra, but he wasn't going to spill his circuits over what was distracting him. He had that 'casanova' reputation she'd mentioned to think about.

"I won't tell," she promised with a wink.

Megatron let his shoulders slump as he watched her stride from the armoury, frame buzzing with tension he just couldn't seem to shake. His processor treacherously called forth images of white wings and a glossy cockpit.

He wondered how long it would take to have Starscream recalled to the base.

* * *

 

Megatron retreated to his quarters, taking in the sad Starscream-less state of his berth. He took one of the high-grades he'd set out in preparation for expected company and took a consoling swig. Starscream was probably well out of Kaon by now, and he had no one to blame for that but himself.

Megatron took a seat on the edge of his berth, forearms on his knees, stroking the sides of his cube as he thought back to the warm feel of the seeker, the softness of his lips, the slide of his glossa. There was certainly something princely about the way Starscream tasted.

He finished off the cube and dropped back against the berth, staring up at the ceiling. Tomorrow was a new day, and Starscream was fickle, a few cleverly worded communications and charming complements, and he would have the seeker back right where he wanted him.

The corridor outside his quarters creaked. Megatron shot back upright, spark skipping a beat at the possibility that Starscream might have-

The door slipped open, and it wasn't Starscream. Megatron was on his pedes in an instant, optics narrowed against the unrecognised mech. He was small, unarmed, rather young looking-

"Who are you?" He demanded, irritable both at the disturbance and the devastating disappointment.

The trespasser didn't look half as surprised to see him. Delighted was a more fitting word. "Hi," he said breathlessly, "Wow, I didn't think they'd actually let me in here-"

"Who are you?" Megatron repeated. "You are not a Decepticon."

"No," the mech agreed. "I'm not, I'm just- I wanted to meet you."

Megatron's optics rolled back. Another fan. He was starting to see Soundwave's point. This was becoming tiresome. "Congratulations. You have." He growled, coming forwards and pointing back into the corridor.

"The other gladiators let me in here." The mech, apparently oblivious to his own unwanted presence, continued. His optics were very bright. He reminded Megatron of a naive youngling. "They told me where to go. They said you were in need of some- some company tonight."

At that last sentence, the mech's face filled with energon. Yes, _very_ young. Megatron's weariness doubled. "How kind of you," he forced out, giving the little mech a nudge towards the open door, "But they were mistaken. I'd rather be alone."

"Wait, but-" The mech latched onto his arm like a limpet, clinging to him, "I just wanted to-"

Approaching footsteps gave Megatron cause to look up the corridor leading to his quarters. Sky blue thrusters and white wings stepped around the corner. Megatron quickly shoved the mech off his arm, trying to make it all the more obvious that he hadn't been doing anything, _at all_.

It was Starscream, and the swelling of Megatron's spark at the sight of him was unfortunately dampened by his dread at the incriminating picture he presented the seeker.

Starscream stopped mid-step at the sight of Megatron in the doorway. And his company.

"Starscream," Megatron put on his most charismatic of smiles, hoping to distract the seeker from over-thinking. "I did not expect such an early return."

Starscream looked between Megatron and the unknown mech, his optics narrowed.

"Yes..." He purred dangerously, "...I can see that."

The seeker began striding forwards, a lot quicker this time. Megatron debated shoving his unfortunate fan behind him to protect him from whatever Starscream was going to attack them with.

"Starscream..." He tried.

"So what is this?" Starscream snarled, gesturing to the mech, "Babysitting, are we?"

The mech took offence, trying to step around Megatron's bulk, "Hey, I'm not-"

Megatron hurriedly shoved him back again before Starscream sliced him open and got life-fluid over all his furniture, "Something like that. He was just leaving-"

"Was he now?" Starscream didn't sound convinced.

"He was."

The mech again opened his mouth, "Well I-"

"Go!" Megatron barked at him harshly. He wasn't going to let some jumped up overzealous fan ruin this for him. "You want to keep someone company tonight, there are plenty lonely gladiators in this building."

The mech huffed, finally realising he wasn't going to be getting any sort of attention from his 'hero' tonight as he left.

"Oh, by all means," Starscream piped up, sounding a little hysterical. "Don't go cancelling your plans because of me."

"I wanted plans _with you_." Megatron growled, starting to get a little annoyed now. "Starscream, just come inside and-"

"So you can add me to the list of your conquests?" Starscream did a sassy little head shake. "I've heard all about your reputation, _mighty Megatron_."

"What are you talking about?"

"You think I don't see your swarms of admirers?" Starscream snarled, "that I don't know about all those dedicated fans that come sneaking into your quarters? To do what, exactly? Somehow I doubt it's games of cyber-chess!"

"Don't be pedantic," Megatron huffed, unashamed of his colourful virility, "You're hardly a pillar of untouched virtue."

"And you would know? Would you?" Starscream snapped.

Megatron wanted to laugh, "Look at you. You're going to try and tell me you're still sealed?"

"Oh, but you'd love that, wouldn't you," Starscream digits flexed into claws. "That you could ruin me so completely. You'd love to bring me down to your level. Lump me in with your hapless fighters. Have me drinking your filthy fuel, and living in this- _this hovel_. You would relish the destruction of _any_ high-caste virtue."

Megatron stared at Starscream, because honestly, who had time to worry about virtue? And who in their right processor referred to the trusting act of 'breaking seals' as destructive? Unless...?

_Unless_

"Dear, Primus," Megatron murmured, struck with sudden realisation. "You really _are_ sealed, aren't you?"

Starscream's composure slipped. His dark face paled. "...I- don't act so surprised!"

Megatron's mouth fell agape. He couldn't help it. It didn't make any sense. How could Starscream-? When he looked like-? How had no mech ever thrown themselves at his thrusters and begged, _begged_ for his attention.

"I don't understand." He said lamely.

"I told you," Starscream's face began to recolour, with energon glowing in his cheeks this time. "I was royalty. I can't just- we were made to practice abstinence! I had minders watching me! I never had the opportunity-"

"You've had plenty of opportunity," Megatron still couldn't get his processor around the idea. He didn't mind that Starscream's experience was non-existent. It was flattering really, that he might let Megatron be the first to pop his panel, but it made little sense.

"With who?" Starscream snapped, "Your filthy underlings? My own trine-mates? I'd rather-"

"-Rather it were me?" Megatron guessed, chest swelling with pride.

Starscream shot him a condescending look, "Don't be so disgusting. You are _not_ getting under my panels. Not after this debacle-"

"What debacle?" Megatron snorted, not ready to give up yet. "Catching me in the act of chasing out an amorous trespasser and blurting that you were a virgin?"

Starscream made a frustrated noise and twisted away, most likely to hide his mounting blush. "Precisely that!" He snapped, already halfway up the corridor.

"Starscream!" Megatron strode after him, unwilling to let this go unresolved. He caught the seeker's arm and Starscream spun so fast he thought he was about to get slapped. But the seeker held himself in place, tense, wings ram-rod straight.

"It doesn't mean anything, you know," he said.

Starscream's brow creased, "What?"

"Your seal," he explained, because it was important that Starscream knew this. It was important that whatever virtuous high-caste nonsense he had been taught was undone. "You'll be no different without it."

"...Then why do you look so damn pleased?" Starscream accused, he tugged at Megatron's grip.

"Because I'll have the honour of showing you just what you've been missing out on," he let his thumb slide over the armour of Starscream's wrist, "And I assure you, I know what I'm doing."

Starscream gaze darkened again at the mention of past conquests, "I'm not another notch on your berth-post."

"I never intended for you to be," He said softly, and Starscream's arm began to relax in his grip. "If it is fidelity you require, you need only ask."

"I won't share you," Starscream said quietly in agreement, and his other servo came up to take Megatron's wrist. His grip was tight. "If I ever catch another being in your berth besides myself, I'll kill them."

"I would expect nothing less," Megatron found himself oddly charmed, "Though why I would stray from such a perfect specimen as yourself, I wouldn't know..."

That made the seeker smile. He was so easy to flatter. Megatron let himself feel smug.

He sauntered a little closer, his servo sliding up Starscream's arm to grasp his shoulder. "Now," he gestured back to the open door of his quarters, "Shall we?"

Starscream's mouth curved into a smirk. 

 


	8. Chapter 8

It was rather telling that Starscream went straight for the high-grade. There was a shake to his servo when he reached for the cube.

The energon was the best Megatron had been able to scrounge up, but still far from the quality Starscream would desire. The seeker was nervous -very nervous- if he was willing to choke back unrefined fuel into order to soothe his beating spark.

Megatron swept it out of his servo before he could drown his senses in it, quickly subspacing the intoxicant out of the seeker's reach.

Starscream snarled, "Excuse me?"

"You won't need that," Megatron told him, taking his slender servo in hand and leading him towards the berth. "Make yourself comfortable."

Starscream's wings were low, and they shuddered when he set a knee atop the berth. He twisted and sat back, looking uncomfortable and out of place.

"This isn't like you," Megatron teased him, leaning in a place a servo on Starscream's knee. "Have you changed your mind?"

Starscream looked aside, jaw tight, "...I'm not a coward."

"Not the question I asked," He paused, waiting. "Do you still want this?"

"Yes," Starscream hissed through his denta, looking rather put-upon to add to general discomfort, "Of course I fragging-"

"Good," Megatron leaned in to kiss at the cables under Starscream's chin, effectively cutting off the seeker's rant from the sharp intake of brief. Starscream smelt exquisite, a unique combination of the finest polishes underpinned with the musk of the less than airy arena. Megatron crawled over Starscream, pushing him to lie back against the berth. Starscream's servos found the small of his back. They rested there, unsure, as Megatron continued to lavish his neck in attention. The seeker tilted his helm back to grant him better access.

Megatron slipped a knee between Starscream's legs, encouraging them to spread. He lifted his servos off the berth and pressed them to the flat panes of Starscream's wings instead, pinning the seeker. Starscream pushed against the resistance, his cockpit brushing Megatron's chest. He was such a lovely sight beneath, it was hard for Megatron to keep his spike behind it's panel.

He finished with Starscream's neck, leaving the cables glistening from where he'd licked them, and took Starscream's mouth instead. The seeker responded eagerly, letting his glossa swept the breadth of his mouth as he kissed him. Starscream's inexperience meant he was rolling his hips up against him. Megatron smirked into the kiss, rocking his knee against the seeker's panel. The flier felt warm down there and Megatron was sure he could smell a hint of lubricant.

He gave Starscream's wings a good hard squeeze, eliciting a soft gasp from the oversensitive seeker, before letting them drift down a shapely chassis and cup Starscream's hips instead.

"I want-" Starscream breathed, turning his helm out of the kiss, "I want you to swear-"

Megatron pushed himself up and sat back on his heels, sliding his bigger servos down Starscream's thighs to take hold of his knees. "Swear what?" He asked, punctuating the sentence with a tug, spreading Starscream's legs open wide. The seeker's red panel sat between two shapely thighs, it's seams leaking lubricant.

"That you're mine." Starscream glared, letting himself fall open for his gladiator. Megatron reached down to cup him between the legs. The panel clicked, and Starscream opened up for him, small and wet and smelling amazing. Megatron took a deep intake, leaning in.

"Megatron?" Starscream called breathlessly, thighs shuddering when Megatron kissed him from knee to groin. "Promise me-"

"I promise," Megatron hummed, just to shut him up. He gave the pretty little valve a wet, sucking kiss when he reached it. Starscream cried out, frame jumping against the berth. Yes, very sensitive. Megatron couldn't wait to break him in.

He watched Starscream as he got to work, pushing at the seeker's once untouched array with his glossa, parting folds and plunging it past the opening. He lapped up the lubricant as it began to flow. Starscream's brow creased, his optics offlining in conflicted bliss. Megatron hummed against him, letting the deep vibrations carry into Starscream's most sensitive parts.

"Megatron," he breathed.

"You're doing well, Starscream," Megatron praised him, giving the swollen anterior node a quick kiss before drawing away. Starscream's tender valve was more pliant now. He could take a few fingers. "So well."

He dipped his forefinger into the seeker. Starscream twitched, his leg bending at the knee. "That's-"

Megatron shushed him, sliding it in and out, curling it.

Starscream sat up, flinching, blissful expression receding in irritation, "You're-!"

Megatron kissed him, still working his finger, moving faster now, giving it a twist when it sunk in to the knuckle. Starscream bit Megatron's lip in irritation, breaking the kiss.

"You brute," he hissed, but didn't try to remove Megatron from his valve. "You're going to break something."

"You're fine," Megatron told him, but he slowed down anyway, reminding himself that the sensors he was stimulating were unused to touch. He wanted Starscream to enjoy himself enough to want this again, many times over. He had to exercise some restraint. "You can take another."

Starscream looked ready to protest, but Megatron was already in him, splitting Starscream's fancy little high-caste valve with two thick miner's digits. Starscream choked, clenching around him.

"How's that feel?" He asked.

Starscream grasped his wrist, but didn't seem capable of speaking. Megatron let his thumb press against the anterior node swelling at the front of Starscream's valve, rolling it beneath the rough pad of his worn digit.

Starscream flopped back against the berth, his servos fisting Megatron's berth sheets.

"Good?" He guessed. Starscream nodded, the hinge of his jaw jumping. 

Megatron withdrew his digits. Starscream's valve sprung back into shape. High quality memory mesh; far better than anything Megatron had had the pleasure of sinking into before. But of course, only the best for royalty. He spread Starscream open with his thumbs, curious.

"What- what are doing?" Starscream asked impatiently, squirming on the berth.

"Looking for your seal," Megatron answered, and blew teasingly into the depths of the seeker's channel. Starscream yelped, thrusters flashing with a blast of ignition. Interesting.

It wasn't too deep, just beyond the reach of his digits. He normally liked to break someone in with a careful twist of the finger, but it appeared that wasn't going to work here. He released his panel, and shifted when his spike dropped out of it's sheathe and began to pressurise. He took one of Starscream's servos from the berth and guided it to his spike, letting the seeker's smooth silky palm stroke him into fullness. Starscream's optics widened as his fingers closed around Megatron's girth. He gave an experimental squeeze.

"Are all-?" Starscream stopped, frowning. "You look different to what I do."

Megatron laughed, Starscream's own spike was undoubtedly flashy, colourful, smooth, and modified with all manner of bio-lights and frivolous things. His own was plain, but sturdy. Starscream swept his fingers over the textured ridges curiously. "These-?"

"Will feel good," Megatron told him, closing his servo over Starscream's and pumping it up and down his length. "It does the job all the same."

Starscream didn't look entirely convinced, but who knew what manner of horror stories he might have been told by his minders, or by grown mechs at his ridiculous parties, about what low-caste interfacing habits were like.

When he was hard enough he nudged Starscream to lay back again, hastily reaching over him for one of the pillows at the berth's headrest. He roughly shoved it under the puzzled seeker's hips, tilting him up. Megatron gave himself one last stroke before lining up.

He rubbed the tip of his spike up and down Starscream's opening, sliding the head past the outer mesh and wetting himself with the seeker's copious lubrication. There was resistance, and Starscream shifted, tensing. "Relax." Megatron told him, rubbing his knee. Callipers began to release, if only minutely. Megatron felt something give, and he sank in, groaning, "That's it...."

Starscream moaned, back arching, and Megatron pushed deeper with careful little rocking motions. Starscream made a listless needy noise when Megatron felt himself hit the seal, he grimaced, then bucked forwards.

Starscream lived up to his name, howling and shooting upright, claws at the ready. Megatron pinned him back down, holding him in place, giving him time to adjust.

"Did that on _purpose_ you-"

"Shh," Megatron murmured, kissing him and stroking his wing. "It's done. It's done now."

Starscream blew out air angrily, "Might have warned me."

Megatron kissed him again, deeply, silencing the mutterings. Starscream kissed back, and it grew messy as Megatron began to move again, rocking in wavelike motions. Starscream began to relax. His valve loosened up out of that impossibly tight shape it had been in, stretched to near capacity by Megatron's considerably larger spike. Megatron drew back until just the tip was left in, then sank forwards again with a satisfied moan. It felt like he was entering the seeker for the first time all over again. It was like it had been made for him.

Starscream started gasping when Megatron began to pick up speed. The pampered little prince  wasn't used to the rougher treatment, but he didn't seem to mind it either. Megatron griped Starscream's hips and lifted him, dragging him down the berth and into his lap, Starscream's legs locked around his waist, thrusters pressing into the small of his back, hot where they were brewing with ignition. He bore down on Starscream, driving into him harder now, faster. Starscream mewled and cried, wings slapping back against the berth with the motion of Megatron's hips against him.

Moisture was escaping from the corner of the seeker's optics as Starscream choked out a sob, back arching. Crackles of electricity danced between them as Starscream's charge mounted, and then released suddenly, the seeker's valve flexing and fluttering beautifully around Megatron, trying to clench down on the spike throwing it into overload.

Megatron swooped down and scooped the seeker up, pulling him upright in his lap. His spike sank deep, and Starscream -twitching in the vestiges of his overload- moaned at the feeling. He leant against Megatron listlessly, damp cheek flush to his chest. Megatron began to rock him, lifting him up off his spike and letting him sink back down again. Starscream gradually got the hint, letting his legs fall from around Megatron's so waist so he could support himself and better ride the gladiator. Megatron let his grip on Starscream's hips slacken, happy to watch him take control.

Starscream's wings bounced as he rode him, his optics shuttered but focused. Megatron petted him encouragingly, bucking up as his control began to slip. He growled, fisting the seeker's wings and squeezing them.

Starscream shifted his weight, pushing at Megatron's shoulders and suddenly tipping them backwards. Megatron fell against the berth with a surprised huff, Starscream on top of him, riding him with abandon. His servos pressed to Megatron's abdomen to brace himself, and then he went for it, berth groaning in protest beneath them, it's frame knocking loudly against the wall. Megatron could only lie there and stare, struck by the sight of the handsome seeker riding him.

Starscream took him down to the hilt and ground into him with such a desperately pleased little noise Megatron could keep his overload at bay no longer. He seized Starscream's thighs and kept him in place, thrusting up so harshly his hips bucked of the berth. Starscream gasped, optics brightening in surprise, but Megatron hardly noticed as his spike emptied in pulses, shooting deep into the bratty seeker.

"Yes," Megatron could barely draw on his vocabulary to praise his seeker as he went strutless against the berth. His spike twitched with the last echos of his overload as Starscream's slowing bounces began sounding obscenely wet. Another twitch, and one last overload ran through Starscream's systems, rippling over Megatron's spent array.

Starscream finally slowed to a stop, still sat on his spike as be began to sag from exhaustion. Megatron beckoned him down with a finger.

Starscream laid over him, his frame searingly hot against Megatron's and damp from where steam had escaped his overheating systems. Megatron kissed him. Their lips slid together lazily. Starscream tilted his helm, mouth opening, and Megatron deepened it.

"You were perfect," Megatron told him gruffly, limbs and optics heavy.

Starscream nuzzled closer, preening at the compliment. Megatron wrapped his arms around him, breathing in the seeker's musky scent. He ran his servo over the drooping wings, taking note of the dents he'd left. Starscream wouldn't be happy when he found them. Megatron would have to explain them as the consequence of a rough interface another time.

"Urgh," Starscream finally pushed himself upright, wiping his fore-helm with the back of his servo. He awkwardly lifted himself off of Megatron's spike, wincing, then hissing. "That'll take a while to walk off."

Megatron laughed, sitting up and reaching for him again, "Perhaps I can kiss it better."

Starscream batted him away, mouth curving at the corner. His wings -smeared and dented as they were- fluttered beautifully. Megatron growled predatorily, and sprung after him.

A squeal of delight filled the room, undercut by Megatron's deep chuckle.

 

* * *

 

Starscream had his thrusters up on the arena barriers. They were blocking Soundwave's view. As a mature, tolerate mech, Soundwave pretended it didn't bother him, and kept to side-eying the troublesome seeker in silent judgment as the match went on.

"He should add some coloured accents."

Soundwave turned at the seeker's voice, levelling Starscream with a disinterested look. The seeker pointed vaguely into the pit, towards where Megatron was fighting two opponents at once, using their own attacks against them.

"Adds to the showmanship," Starscream explained, though his optics were firmly trained on Megatron's backside and little else. "He's rather boring and grey."

"Megatron; former miner." Soundwave reminded the seeker. Not everyone came from such a technicolor background, and Megatron's standard coloration was a reflection of his past.

"I'm just saying a splash of red wouldn't go amiss. Brings out his optics."

Soundwave stared at the seeker for so long Starscream finally managed to tear his gaze away from Megatron's aft and notice.

"What?"

Soundwave turned back to the fight, his sharp scolding void considering the seeker's newfound status on Megatron's arm- regardless of how incognito they thought they were being. Soundwave had the misfortune of reviewing the security cameras, and even if he hadn't witnessed the seeker sneaking out of Megatron's quarters with a nasty looking limp two nights ago, their consistently disarrayed bodywork was a huge give away.

Why else would the seeker be walking around with black paint transfers all over his wings?

Starscream's attention flitted back to the fight quickly, Megatron having tossed one of his opponents across the pit and into the barrier. The resonating clang managed to draw a sympathetic gasp from crowd amongst the jeering. Starscream began snickering nastily.

As Megatron passed by them on his way to finish his hapless victims off he slowed his pace enough to share a rather obvious look with Starscream, expression stoic and optics intense. Starscream wasn't anywhere near as subtle, winking at the gladiator, smirking smugly.

Soundwave slapped the seeker's thrusters off the barrier with a reproachful noise, having had enough of his attitude. Starscream nearly fell out of his seat, not looking half as cool as he'd wanted to in front of Megatron. He hissed, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Sit correctly." Soundwave told him sternly. "Starscream; example to set."

Starscream sneered and muttered curses and insults under his breath, but Soundwave noticed that he didn't put his thrusters back up on the barriers.

Megatron finished his opponents off with typical flourish, drawing the moment out long enough to instil drama and suspense in the stands. Starscream was watching with a wistful expression on his face, and Soundwave couldn't work out if the maniac was wishing that were him ripping those mechs apart, or wanting to _be_ the mech Megatron was destroying.

Finally, Megatron turned, his matt grey finish splattered with purple, dripping down his chest and weapon. His optics locked on Starscream's position as he strode forward, tossing his weapon away haphazardly. Some sort of silent communication must have passed between them because before Soundwave knew it Starscream was up and out of his seat, swinging his legs over the barrier before Soundwave could stop him.

The two warriors collided in the pit, in full view of the spectators and the cameras, and it might have passed for an scenic moment had it not been _Starscream_ launching himself at the gladiator. Megatron rather impressively managed to lift Starscream off the floor, adding another layer to the unnecessary display as they kissed. Though the deafening roar of the crowd meant the spectators, at least, approved of their partnership.

After what felt like an age to Soundwave, Starscream dropped back to the floor, and Megatron lifted the seeker's arm with his, to show their audience that they were united in victory. Soundwave sighed, waiting for them to finish basking in the glory of Megatron's massacre and come back over.

"Jealous?" Starscream snarked when they finally did. Megatron's arm was slung over Starscream's shoulder, and he was staring at his new paramour, utterly enamoured.

"Negative." Soundwave intoned, trying to sound mature.

"Delay the match debrief till morning, Soundwave," Was all Megatron said to him, leaning in and kissing at Starscream's neck. His servos began to wander, and Starscream did nothing but encourage him, "I'll be busy tonight-"

Starscream grinned under the assault, squirming playfully, and when Megatron groped at one of the seeker's wings, Soundwave couldn't help but smack it off.

Megatron jumped, surprised, and Starscream hissed.

"Servos; kept to yourselves." Soundwave reproached them, nodding towards both the cameras and the crowd of thousands still watching.

Starscream rolled his optics and snatched Megatron's servo, yanking him towards the arena exit. Soundwave watched the pair of them go, shaking his helm.

He could only hope _this_ fling didn't last long.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundwave only has to endure another four million years of this.


End file.
